Save Our Heritage Initiative (SOHI), an Abuja-based NGO on Saturday called for the promotion of peace in the rural areas to ensure food security in the country.
Ms May Ikokwu, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the NGO made the call in Abuja during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the occasion of the International Day for Rural Women
The theme for the International Day of Rural Women (15 October), “Rural Women Cultivating Good Food for All”,
Ikokwu explained that the theme is aimed at highlighting the essential role that rural women and girls play in the food chains worldwide.
The SOHI boss, who described women as essential components in food production, said that war and insurgency had reduced farming activities by women thereby impacted negatively on their income.
“Insecurity in Nigeria is disrupting food production with many of the rural women in IDP camps rather than being on the farms.
“The result is soaring food prices which makes is more difficult to feed the nation,” she said.
Ikokwu said there is the need for youth participation in farming, whose constant emigration to urban areas has affected food production negatively.
According to her from crops production o to processing, preservation and distributing women’s labour both paid and unpaid, helps to feed their families, communities and the world.
She called for a synergy in rebuilding the broken global food system from grassroots by supporting rural women’s ability to produce and distribute food.
Ikokwu reiterated the commitment of her group to Sustainable Development Goals, including Zero Hunger and Gender Equality.