Timely disbursement of funds will mitigate food crisis -SWOFON
Chima Azubuike, Gombe
Small Scale Women Farmers Organization in Nigeria (SWOFON), Gombe state chapter on Thursday, tasked the State Government on timely release of budgeted funds to mitigate food crisis.
SWOFON made the disclosure during an advocacy visit by Public Financing for Agriculture (PFA) budget committee, SWOFON, and Hope Foundation for the Lonely (HFL Gombe) with support from ActionAid Nigeria, to Gombe state Assembly.
According to the leader of the delegation, Hajiya Fadimatu Usman, the looming food crisis could be averted through timely release of budgeted funds.
Usman said, “We want to advocate for early disbursement of the 35 million naira budget line in 2021 approved budget for the support of smallholder women farmers. We urge for your prompt directives to work out modalities for the release to avoid the looming food crisis we are facing.”
She further revealed that women farmers constitute majority of food producers in the country, adding that with more backing women will help the country attain food sufficiency.
“We are here to advocate for support in terms of laws at the legislative level. We want them to be part of us to support us. We the Small Scale women farmers, we can safely say we are the feeders of the federation so we want their consideration.
“Once there is fund allocated to our group we hope to secure their backing so that Government will release budgeted funds to us so that we can put it into actual use to boost our women capacity to feed the state and Nigeria. Women farmers have done a lot out of scarce resources; what is needed is for Government to support to boost our morale,” she added.
On her part, Clerk of the house, Barr. Ruqayat Jalo hailed the group’s visit, stressing that as an administrator she can only advise the house.
Jalo said the little provided should be well utilized, adding that it will boost the interest of government to do more.
“This will ginger them to do more next year, something bigger and gradually we should get there. We can have our own convention, we don’t have to work with Malabo declaration. I’m really impressed, I didn’t know something like this exists,” she said.
