By Hassan Ibrahim
Stakeholders in Bauchi State have called on the state government to review its agricultural and land policies that would promote affordable, equitable and sustainable access to farmlands for women, youth, persons living with disabilities (PWDs) and women-led organizations in the state.
The stakeholders also demanded for improved security around farming communities and remote farmlands to enable farmers to cultivate without fear of theft, attacks, or other security threats.
The stakeholders made the plea during a one-day policy roundtable meeting on sustainable access to farmland for women and youths in Bauchi State, under the auspices of the Resilient and Inclusive Agrifood Systems Empowering Women and Youth in Nigeria (RISE) Project. The roundtable was organised by Sahel Consulting in partnership with the Federation of Muslim Women’s Associations in Nigeria (FOMWAN) and other consortium partners.
The roundtable reaffirmed the need for a more inclusive, transparent, and sustainable land-access system in Bauchi State, where women, youth, PWDs, and women-led organizations can access and effectively utilize farmland without discrimination.
In a communique issued at the end of the meeting Monday in Bauchi, the stakeholders stressed the need for the government to implement policies that would promote access to farm mechanization, climate-smart agricultural technologies, improved inputs, extension services, and affordable financing for women and youth farmers.
They demanded for establishment of transparent and inclusive mechanisms for the allocation and leasing of public and government-acquired farmland, with clear consideration for vulnerable and marginalized groups.
The stakeholders want to develop mechanisms to monitor the utilisation of allocated farmland and discourage beneficiaries from leasing out land allocated to them instead of using it for agricultural production. Ensure that farmland allocated to beneficiaries is fertile, accessible, secure, and suitable for agricultural production.
They emphasized for policies that would support PWDs with appropriate land-access arrangements, farm labor, adaptive technologies, and other support required to participate meaningfully in agriculture.
To traditional institutions, the stakeholders want traditional institutions to promote customary practices that support fair and non-discriminatory access to farmland for women, youth, PWDs, and women-led organizations. Engage all parties when sharing inherited lands and ensuring that women are represented.
They also demand for the engagement of traditional rulers, district heads, village heads, and community leaders in addressing cultural barriers that limit women's participation in land ownership and agricultural decision-making.
Support community-based mechanisms for resolving land disputes and ensuring that vulnerable groups are not unfairly denied access to farmland.
The stakeholders also requested for the government to review deforestation and mining activities, especially regulatory bodies to look at the current activities which have led to land degradation.
They requested for a policy that would encourage landowners and communities to consider the fertility, accessibility, and suitability of land before allocating or leasing it to farmers.
The stakeholders want to promote community acceptance of PWDs as active farmers and discourage discriminatory perceptions about their ability to engage in agriculture. To Civil Society Organisations and Development Partners. Support advocacy and policy dialogue aimed at improving inclusive and equitable land access for women, youth, PWDs, and women-led organizations.
Provide technical assistance and capacity building on land rights, negotiation, sustainable land management, climate-smart agriculture, and farm business management.
Facilitate linkages between farmers and relevant government institutions, traditional authorities to get access to land.
Earlier in his remarks, Joseph Apeh of Sahel Consulting Agriculture and Nutrition Ltd said the RISE Project was a five-year initiative running from 2025 to 2030, funded by Global Affairs Canada (GAC) and implemented by a consortium of partners across Bauchi, Kaduna and Kano states.
He said the project was designed to transform agrifood systems through inclusive, climate-resilient and market-driven growth in four priority value chains, rice, maize, groundnut and soybean.
According to him, the project is also aimed at addressing systemic barriers limiting the participation, productivity and economic empowerment of women and youths in agriculture while promoting sustainable livelihoods and resilient food systems.
Presenting findings from the Integrated Market Systems Assessment (IMSA) conducted ahead of the RISE Project, an agricultural expert, Emmanuel Ameh, highlighted several challenges restricting the participation of women and youths in agriculture, particularly barriers to accessing productive farmland.
Ameh emphasized the need to ensure that women have meaningful access to and ownership of land for agricultural purposes, adding “This is not simply about saying that women should own land; it is about thinking critically about what we can do to ensure that women have meaningful access to land for agricultural purposes.”
He noted that women play important roles across the agricultural value chain, including planting, weeding, harvesting, processing and marketing, “In most farming households, women contribute to different stages of agricultural production. They help with planting, weeding, harvesting, processing and marketing. Many women also engage in small-scale farming around their homes, while some have the capacity to operate on a much larger scale."
The roundtable convened key stakeholders, including representatives of relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), traditional institutions, religious leaders, civil society organisations (CSOs), farmer groups, cooperatives, women and youth associations, members of the Project Steering Committee (PSC), and other development stakeholders to deliberate on sustainable and equitable access to farmland for women and youth in Bauchi State.
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