‘No Woman Should Lose Land Rights Due To Marriage’

Women farmers in Nigeria encounter significant challenges when trying to access vital resources such as land, credit, and agricultural technologies. These obstacles hinder their ability to boost agricultural output and contribute effectively to the nation's food security. To address this critical issue, Professor Taibat Moji Yusuf, a professor at Kwara State University (KWASU), recently advocated for a series of reforms in land ownership, agricultural financing, extension services, and rural infrastructure during her 23rd Inaugural Lecture.

Titled "Empowering Women Farmers in Nigeria: Closing the Gender Gap for Agricultural Transformation and Food Security," the lecture outlined various recommendations aimed at empowering women farmers.

Yusuf stressed that empowering women in farming would lead to increased agricultural productivity, bolster food security, and alleviate poverty. She urged the Nigerian government to revise inheritance laws to ensure that women possess the right to own and inherit land, irrespective of their marital status. Additionally, she supported joint land ownership for married couples, highlighting that existing discriminatory practices often prevent women from gaining access to essential agricultural resources like credit, inputs, and credit-worthy collateral.

To tackle the financing gap, Yusuf called for broader access to microcredit schemes that do not necessitate land as collateral, advocating for the development of tailored agricultural loan products for women farmers and the expansion of digital financial services to remote rural areas.

The professor also emphasized the need for a reformation of agricultural extension services by recruiting more female extension agents and adapting training schedules to accommodate women's domestic responsibilities. She proposed utilizing mobile platforms to deliver agricultural advice in local languages, particularly in rural communities.

Inadequate rural infrastructure, including water supply, electricity, and childcare facilities, was another challenge Yusuf highlighted, urging increased investment in these areas to lessen the burden on women and free up time for farming and agribusiness.

Yusuf advocated for wider access to mechanized processing equipment and other labor-saving technologies tailored to women farmers' operational requirements. She also proposed policies that would encourage income diversification via off-farm employment, agro-processing, and entrepreneurship, alongside investments in rural infrastructure such as better roads, electricity, and information and communication technology.

These improvements would assist rural households in withstanding agricultural shocks and enhance their resilience. Yusuf urged for the expansion of contract farming and credit programs through public-private partnerships, focusing on schemes that offer farmers reliable markets, inputs, and financing. She also suggested investment in post-harvest storage, transportation, cold chain facilities, and market information systems to reduce food losses and maximize the value derived from women farmers' produce.

Furthermore, Yusuf recommended integrating eco-friendly agricultural technologies, such as moringa-based bio-organic fertilizers, into extension services, cooperative production networks, and soil fertility programs. She urged communities to promote moringa cultivation to ensure a consistent supply of raw materials for these organic fertilizers.

On policymaking, the professor advocated for mandatory gender impact assessments for agricultural development programs and policies, as well as increased representation of women on policy committees, agricultural boards, and farmers' unions. She called for dedicated budgetary allocations for gender-responsive agricultural investments and stronger monitoring mechanisms to evaluate the impact of these interventions.

Yusuf stressed that closing the gender gap in agriculture was crucial not only for fairness but also as a strategic approach to revamping Nigeria's agricultural economy and enhancing national food security, given that approximately 140 million Nigerians live below the poverty line.