By Willies Ugo, Gombe
Agriculture Review – Oct. 1, 2025
The proposed review of the National Gender Policy in Agriculture (2025–2030) is aimed at ensuring equal access to resources, services, and programmes, regardless of gender, to strengthen food security and drive economic growth in Nigeria.
Although women make up between 60 and 79 per cent of Nigeria’s rural labour force, men are five times more likely to own land, a disparity that limits women’s opportunities in agricultural livelihoods.
To address the imbalance, ActionAid Nigeria, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security and with support from AGRA and GIZ, convened stakeholders in Gombe to review and strengthen the policy. The meeting was the sixth zonal consultation, after similar engagements across other regions.
Speaking at the forum, ActionAid’s Food and Agriculture Programme Advisor, Blessing Akhile, who represented the Chair of the Steering Committee, said the exercise was crucial to capturing the voices of women farmers, youths, and persons with disabilities in shaping a more equitable food system.
She noted that since its launch in 2019, the policy has contributed to food security, poverty reduction, and improved livelihoods, but added that emerging challenges make the review timely.
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Also speaking, the Director of Special Duties at the Ministry, Mrs Kachallah Zara Damaturu, stressed the need for robust discussions to guide interventions between 2025 and 2030.
Declaring the forum open, Gombe State Commissioner for Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Cooperatives, Dr Barnabas Mallet, assured participants of the state’s commitment to implementing the revised policy, noting Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya’s gender-friendly initiatives in fertiliser and input distribution.
