Provide access to agricultural grants to boost production, farmers tells govt

The Smallholder farmers in Nasarawa State have called on Government at all levels to formulate and implement policies that will fast track the provision of sustainable access to agricultural grants to rural women as part of efforts to boost food production and food security drive of President Bola Tinubu-led Federal Government, thereby boosting healthy diets for Nigerians.

Speaking at a two-day workshop held in Lafia, Nasarawa State capital organised for smallholder farmers, agribusiness owners and small and medium-scale enterprises, Isaac Ishaya, the Project Manager of the Catalyzing Strengthened Policy Action for Healthy Diets and Resilience, noted the need to adopt a multidimensional approach to achieving healthy diets, including capacity building and access to facilities for rural women.

Making a comment at the project funded by the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs to tackle malnutrition, implemented under the Catalyzing Strengthened Policy Action for Healthy Diets and Resilience (CASCADE) programme, in some Northern States of Bauchi, Jigawa, Kebbi, and Nasarawa, Ishaya, emphasised the need for stronger collaboration between Government and relevant organisations to intensify awareness campaigns on the importance of harnessing local resources to combat malnutrition.

Christian Ediagbonya, a financial expert and one of the resource persons at the event, noted that access to facilities is fundamental to enhancing sustainable quality food production in the communities.

Halima Yusuf, the Chief Nutrition Officer in the State Ministry of Health, listed malnutrition and stunted growth as major factors hampering economic development.

She stressed the need to focus attention on providing smallholder farmers and agribusiness owners the needed resources to achieve healthy diets for households.

Some of the smallholder farmers, who spoke at the event, included Kadijat Yahaya and Patience Phillip, who said that the workshop had given them a new direction for quality food production.