The Chairperson, Board of Trustees, Small Scale Women Farmers Organisation in Nigeria (SWOFON), Mrs. Hannatu Yaro, has urged the Federal Government to provide women farmers' with friendly technology.
Yaro who made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, said the issue of technology is one of the major challenges facing the small scale women farmers in Nigeria.
"There is also the issue of lack of women friendly technology facing the women farmers in the country. When you are talking about tractors, you are thinking about big tractors that are not women farmers' friendly.
"Women are more involved in post harvest activities; there is the need for women friendly technology, especially those that can be managed by women," she said.
She explained that there were activities which women engage in and which are time consuming and energy draining.
According to her, the activities span from land clearing to harvesting of the crops and marketing.
"There is no technology that you can say specifically takes care of women's needs.
Yaro urged the research institutions to look at those relevant technologies that women can use and handle to reduce their stress and improve their productivity.
She said this would go a long way in helping women to participate with a lot of comfort in agriculture.
The chairperson also urged government at all levels to increase budgetary allocation and ensure timely release of agriculture budget.
She stressed the need to involve smallholder women farmers in decision making at all levels to ensure that policies are more effective.
(Daily Independent)
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