The United Nations has said women constitute about 70 per cent of those engaged in food crop production, processing, and commercialisation across Nigeria .
The UN noted that despite their dominant role in the country’s food system, women farmers and agro-processors continue to face major structural barriers that limit productivity and income.
According to the report, the key constraints include limited access to land, finance, modern technology, markets, and other productive resources. These gaps, it said, prevent many women from scaling their operations and fully contributing to national food security.
Agriculture remains a major employer in Nigeria, with millions of smallholder farmers responsible for a significant share of the food consumed domestically. Women are especially visible at the levels of subsistence farming, post-harvest processing, and local food trade in both rural and urban markets.
Experts say addressing the disparities could boost yields, reduce food losses, and improve household nutrition. Stakeholders have repeatedly called for targeted policies such as improved access to credit facilities, land ownership rights, extension services, and training on climate-smart farming techniques for women in agriculture.
The UN emphasized that closing the gender gap in agriculture is critical to achieving food security, poverty reduction, and sustainable development goals in Nigeria.
DailyCourier reports that with food prices and inflationary pressures continuing to affect households, analysts argue that investing in women-led agribusinesses could strengthen food supply chains and create more jobs along the value chain.
