The Small Scale Women Farmers Organisation in Nigeria (SWOFON) has raised alarm that food prices may surge in 2025 if ongoing challenges facing farmers are not adequately addressed. This warning came during an interactive forum held in Abuja to commemorate the International Day of Rural Women and World Food Day.
World Food Day, celebrated annually on October 16, marks the founding of the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) in 1945. The theme for 2024 is “Right to Food for a Better Life and a Better Future.”
The forum, organized by SWOFON in collaboration with ActionAid Nigeria under the Scaling Up Public Investment in Agriculture (SUPIA) project, highlighted several critical challenges faced by farmers. These include insecurity, conflicts between farmers and herders, lack of access to credit facilities, insufficient land and irrigation resources, post-harvest losses, and inadequate mechanisation.
Mrs. Comfort Sunday, Coordinator of SWOFON’s FCT Chapter, emphasized that the celebration of World Food Day should signify an abundance of food for all, lamenting that many Nigerians currently struggle to afford even one meal a day. She pointed out the essential role of smallholder women farmers in achieving food and nutrition security in the country, noting that their needs often go unaddressed.
“The major problem we are having is the issue of land,” she stated, further outlining issues such as land grabbing, ownership disputes, theft, and lack of access to extension services, which exacerbate the challenges faced by small-scale farmers.
SWOFON’s call to action underscores the urgency for policymakers to prioritize the needs of farmers to ensure food security and stabilize prices in the coming years.