UN Names Land Ownership, Finance Infrastructure, As Problems Of Nigeria Rural Farmers

Emmanuel Alfred

The United Nations have named lack of finance, infrastructure, and land ownership as the problems of rural farmers in Nigeria.

This was disclosed by Lansana Wonneh, Deputy Country Representative for United Nation’s Women In Nigeria, in Calabar on Thursday, October 20, 2022, at the celebration of the United Nations International Day Of Rural Women.

“This celebration is important for two reasons, one is to acknowledge the fact that women particularly in Nigeria do most of the of the work around food production, processing and marketing of food commodities.

“And while they do that job, they face a lot of challenges, around the fact that they are not included in the process of decision making, no participation in governance, they don’t get resources from government, or the private sector”.

“So, they have issues of lack of infrastructure, lack of financial support, and access to land and land ownership. We want to make sure they realise their rights, given adequate resources, and that they are able to produce more, get more income and take better care of their families”.

“In order to achieve this, we are here to work with the Government and the people of Nigeria to transform the situation of the UN women and in this case, the rural women. ”

Also speaking, Prof. Mrs Caroline Aboh, from the University of Calabar, said that, “The women should be encouraged to expand their farms and should be given access to lucrative markets . They should be more educated. Women are the engine of the growth of every society.”

Meanwhile, the Cross River State Commissioner for Agriculture, represented by Mr Nathaniel Nkor from the Ministry, charged the rural farmers to, “Consider the production of not just food but good food. Down-play the use of chemical and use more of organic fertilizers. Women are champions in the cultivation and production of Cassava.”