By Abbas Nazil
Over 2,000 women farmers from all the 57 local government areas and local council development areas of Lagos State converged at the 2025 edition of the Sustainable Agriculture Summit and Award Ceremony, organized by the Lagos Chapter of the Women in Agriculture under the All Farmers’ Association of Nigeria (AFAN).
The one-day event, themed “She Farms, She Cares: The Importance of Women in the Food Security Chain,” aimed to celebrate the contributions of women in agriculture and address pressing issues affecting their productivity and inclusion in the agricultural value chain.
The summit attracted key stakeholders in agriculture and government, including representatives from the Lagos State Government.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, represented by the Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Systems, Mrs. Abisola Olusanya, reiterated the state’s commitment to agricultural development.
He emphasized that the government’s five-year developmental roadmap targets a 40 percent food self-sufficiency goal, driven by strategic investments and farmer empowerment initiatives, with special focus on women as the backbone of Nigeria’s food systems.
According to Sanwo-Olu, the state is investing heavily in agricultural infrastructure and supporting agribusinesses.
These investments are aimed at fostering public-private partnerships that could attract billions of dollars into the state’s agricultural sector in the coming years.
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He stressed the need to continue empowering female farmers who play a pivotal role in ensuring food availability and sustainability.
AFAN Chairman, Otunba Femi Oke, called on Nigerian youths to see agriculture as a viable and rewarding career path.
He noted that with the right support, including access to grants and entrepreneurial training, agriculture could provide economic opportunities and tackle unemployment.
However, the summit also brought to light several challenges confronting women farmers in Lagos State.
Deputy Chairman of the association, Mr. Shakin Agbayewa, identified lack of access to empowerment programmes and collateral-free loans as some of the major hurdles limiting agricultural productivity among women.
He urged the government to streamline and expand financial support initiatives, especially those that do not require stringent collateral demands.
Furthering the call for support, the Women Leader of the association, Mrs. Olayide Afolake, appealed to both the state and federal governments to provide more financial assistance and mechanized farming tools.
She stressed that such interventions would significantly reduce the drudgery of traditional farming methods and enhance productivity.
The summit closed with an awards ceremony recognizing outstanding women farmers for their dedication and contribution to the food security chain in Lagos State.
