ASABA/Nigeria: Stakeholders in Delta State’s agricultural sector have issued a strong call for decisive action to end women’s exclusion from land ownership, warning that continued inequality poses a serious threat to food security, economic empowerment and sustainable development in the state.
The call was made at a Land Ownership Campaign Town Hall Meeting convened by the Environmental and Rural Mediation Centre (ENVIRUMEDIC), with the support of ActionAid Nigeria, under the Strategic Partnership for Agroecology and Climate Justice (SPAC–West Africa, Nigeria) Project. The meeting brought together a broad coalition of government officials, farmers’ groups, civil society actors, security agencies, traditional institutions and the media.
Participants included representatives of the Delta State Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, the Delta State Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (DARDA), the Small-Scale Women Farmers Organization of Nigeria (SWOFON), the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Heads of Agriculture Departments from several local government areas, community leaders, traditional rulers, the Department of State Services (DSS) and media organisations.
Discussions revealed a stark contradiction at the heart of Nigeria’s food system: while women make up the bulk of the agricultural workforce and are central to food production, barely 18 per cent of rural women own land or property. Stakeholders agreed that this imbalance continues to undermine productivity, household food security and women’s economic independence.
Participants identified weak enforcement of existing laws, restrictive customary practices, entrenched social norms and poor legal protection against land grabbing as key barriers. The complex interaction between customary tenure systems and statutory frameworks such as the Land Use Act was also highlighted as a major factor excluding women from land-related decision-making at household, community and state levels.
The meeting reviewed progress under the SPAC Project in Delta State, which promotes agroecology through the establishment of 130 model farms and the training of 540 women farmers as trainers. These trainers have cascaded skills and knowledge to an estimated 27,000 farmers across the state. Stakeholders, however, stressed that without secure and affordable access to land, the long-term sustainability of these achievements remains uncertain.
Declaring the meeting open, the Permanent Secretary of the Delta State Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources reaffirmed government’s commitment to policies that enhance farmers’ productivity and improve access to land. He encouraged frank engagement and remained actively involved throughout the deliberations, offering technical insights and assurances of institutional support.
In a goodwill message, the Chief Executive Officer of ENVIRUMEDIC Chief Monday Itoghor, described insecurity as one of the most urgent threats to farming in Delta State, noting that fear and violence have restricted access to farmlands and reduced both output and food quality. He stressed the importance of involving security agencies, particularly the DSS, in developing lasting solutions for farming communities.
The Programme Manager of DARDA warned that rising interest in land acquisition by private investors could further squeeze smallholder farmers if proactive safeguards are not put in place. He called for coordinated policy action and stakeholder engagement to protect farmers’ access to land.
SWOFON representatives noted that as the SPAC Project improves farming practices and yields, land access has emerged as the defining bottleneck. They warned that without urgent intervention, gains made in agroecology and food production could be reversed, worsening food insecurity.
A detailed presentation by ENVIRUMEDIC’s Senior Programme Officer outlined project achievements, including improved crop yields, higher incomes, soil conservation and wide geographic coverage. Persistent challenges identified included women’s low control over land, limited access to inputs, insecurity and infrastructure deficits.
At the close of the meeting, concrete commitments were secured. Local governments pledged to open land to women and young farmers, while the Delta State Government reaffirmed plans to implement the FREELAND initiative to regulate land pricing, expand extension services, strengthen market access and coordinate off-takers and input providers.
Women farmers committed to cooperative farming, formal land applications, adoption of agroecological practices and treating agriculture as a business. Civil society organisations pledged continued advocacy, capacity building and facilitation of market linkages, while media representatives committed to sustained coverage and accountability tracking.
Although 41 of the 46 invited participants attended the meeting, stakeholders agreed that the discussions marked a critical turning point. They resolved to follow up on all commitments, stressing that without land rights for women and young people, Delta State’s ambition for food security and sustainable agricultural development will remain unattainable.
