Oxfam Nigeria has said that it would work with commercial financial institutions, to mainstream its members into the formal banking system to allow for inclusion of rural communities.
This was made known at the organisation’s Food Hero Awards 2022 (Ogbonge Women), held in Abuja, organised in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and in close collaboration with civil society organisations on Thursday, as part of events to mark this year’s World Food Day.
Country Director of Oxfam Nigeria, represented by Ifufun Akinduro, said the scheme was to recognise the entrepreneurial spirit of women despite their challenges, adding that women also faced some of these challenges in their homes.
“We have started working with financial institutions to mainstream these members into formal banking systems, thereby increasing their inclusion for rural communities,” she said.
“The principal objective of this scheme is to recognise women small scale farmers, who have been demonstrating outstanding entrepreneurship spirit and best practice, despite the numerous challenges that they face. These challenges are the climate justice impact, the lack of lands, market, inputs and extension among several others.
“Despite the crucial role women play, they also face discrimination and they have limited bargaining power. Patriarchal norms create disadvantages for these women, and for these farmers and wage workers, specifically in terms of land rights, productive resources, insecurity and precarious employment, low or non-existent wages as unpaid family workers in farm production, unpaid care and exclusion from decision making and political representation.
“Within the household, because of women’s weaker bargaining position, they frequently eat least and last as well,” she added.
The Director revealed that Oxfam and its partners had adopted the Gender Action Learning Methodology, to provide inclusion, noting that its village savings and loans initiative had been able to reach out to over 180, 000 women across eight states in Nigeria, adding that these women had been able to contribute over 3.8bn naira via the initiative.
She said, “Oxfam and its partners adopt the Gender Action Learning Methodology to promote inclusive decision-making amongst households, that has translated into harmonious and more violence-free gender relations. Our village savings and loans initiative has reached over 180,000 women and out of it 250 participants across 8 states in the country.
“It will interest you to know that our VSLA women have contributed over 3.8bn naira this year alone with 2.9 billion coming from our women.”
Akinduro called for women’s economic empowerment in agriculture, to be made a priority, noting that the support would also encourage women to fight for their rights.
Meanwhile, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Ernest Umahihe, in his address, called for massive investment in food and agriculture, noting that it would foster resilience against crisis like COVID-19 and climate change
