Stakeholders seek smaller tractors, other agricultural support for women farmers

At the ‘Women for Food Security’ summit in Abuja, stakeholders urged increased empowerment for women in agriculture to boost Nigeria’s food security. Speakers stressed the need for better access to farm mechanization for women farmers. Engr. Patricia Stan-Dioka highlighted the unique challenges women face in accessing resources. She pointed to India’s success with mechanization and sustainable practices as a model.
Sunish Shah from Captain Agri Machinery EXIM LLP proposed introducing small tractors for Nigeria’s smallholder farmers and suggested his company might set up a local assembly plant if demand rises. Alhaji Muhammad Sani Garba supported adopting India’s mechanization methods for small equipment suitable for women and small farmers.
Source: Daily Trust

Our Review
The call for increased empowerment of women in agriculture at the ‘Women for Food Security’ summit underscores a crucial aspect of enhancing Nigeria’s food security. Women’s limited access to resources and farm mechanization hampers their productivity, which in turn affects the broader agri-food value chain. By addressing these disparities and providing women with better access to small-scale mechanization, Nigeria can significantly boost agricultural output, reduce labor intensity, and enhance sustainability.
Adopting India’s mechanization models for smallholder farmers could be transformative. Local assembly of small tractors, as proposed by Captain Agri Machinery EXIM LLP, could lower costs, create jobs, and make modern farming equipment more accessible. This initiative would foster growth across the value chain by increasing efficiency and productivity at the grassroots level. Empowering women farmers, who are often the backbone of rural agriculture, is not only a step toward food security but also toward more inclusive and sustainable economic growth.