International Day for Rural Women: RUDILAC lauds women’s roles in agricultural sector 

From Ighomuaye Lucky, Benin

Rural Development, Information and Legal Advocacy Centre (RUDILAC) in conjunction with Freedom of Information (FOI) Counsel, President Aigbokhan, yesterday, lauded the contributory roles of women in the agricultural sector saying they have remained the human link between the farm and the table

The Executive Director, RUDILAC, President Aigbokhan, disclosed this while addressing a group of women farmers in Ologbo, Edo State.

Aigbokhan, while quoting World Bank report, said, women are the backbone of rural economy, especially in developing countries.

He said the World Bank has said that the women make up almost half of the world’s farmers and that the number of female led farms have continued to increase as a result of similar increase in female-headed households occasioned by migration and other social and cultural factors.

The Executive Director of RUDILAC added that, it is in realization of the role of women in rural areas and development that RUDILAC with support from FOI Counsel undertook a Strategic needs assessment and mapping mission to Ologbo Dukedom to ascertain amongst other things the impact of rural women in socio economic development of the community.

He lamented that despite the roles of the women in food production globally, in Edo State, due to the presence of some multinational companies that occupied the lands, the women have been denied the opportunity to go fully into farming.

“Women are primary caregivers to families and communities, they provide food and nutrition, and they are the human link between the farm and the table.

“Ologbo being an oil rich community in Edo State with 37 oil wells and hosting several multinational corporation like PRESCO, NNPC, Osisiomo Power Station among others, yet no model school and health center and worst still, there was no single woman farmer identified owing to the takeover of farmland by big business.

“This no doubt, has huge impact on your earning and purchasing power. We will keep engaging the government until there is a participatory land acquisition model and economic empowerment of rural women”, he said.