Oxfam Assigns Governors The Duty To Give Farmers' Needs Priority In Food Security

Nigeria - In order to address the current food insecurity and hardship, Mr. Ahmed Hamza Tijani, the Country Director of OxFAM for Nigeria, has advised the 36 state governors of Nigeria to realign investments to meet the needs of smallholder farmers, particularly women farmers who face additional barriers to accessing agricultural inputs and extension services. He told the New Telegraph that it was critical that they understand how much assistance farmers needed in order to offset the high cost of equipment, water pumps, fertilizers, and other necessities.

In addition, he made the point that loan availability should help farmers become more financially independent, particularly when combined with savings clubs. Nigerian farmers also require access to markets, reliable meteorological data, secure land tenure, and efficient adaption techniques, among other essential resources. In order to make sure that budgets address the unique needs of women, girls, boys, and men, Tijani also recommended that state governments prioritize the creation of gender-disaggregated data. She emphasized, however, that data availability in Nigeria continues to be a problem. The Oxford Committee for Famine Relief was established in Britain in 1942, and hence the name "Oxfam."

During the Second World War, the organization fought for food supplies to be supplied to hungry women and children in enemy-occupied Greece via an allied naval blockade. Following the war, Oxfam carried on its mission by providing supplies and funding to organizations that supported the impoverished across Europe. As things in Europe became better, Oxfam's focus turned to the needs of those living in underdeveloped nations. "Small-scale farmers throughout Nigeria could significantly reduce rampant malnutrition and propel the country toward food security with adequate support," Tijani stated. But as the saying goes in Nigeria, "beautiful words do not produce food."

The government envisions agriculture as the hub of economic reform and commercialization, yet small-scale farmers continue to be undervalued when it comes to investment objectives. Agriculture and climate change adaptation receive far less funding than anticipated since the resources are allocated more heavily to larger-scale initiatives and research.The assistance that small-scale farmers need is simple and includes everything from market access and fertilizer availability to climate change adaption plans. To successfully help smallholder farmers, public-private initiatives that have shown promise in raising food production and developing a market for products should be maintained and improved. In order to meet the needs of farmers, these programs should carry out thorough needs assessments, offer finance programs, guarantee timely delivery, and provide the required inputs.