IWD: The main obstacle for women farmers is post-harvest losses – Expert

Chika Orji, Program Manager/Communications Focal Point at the Smallscale Women Farmers Organization in Nigeria (SWOFON) and AWARD GASP Policy Fellow, raised the alarm that post-harvest losses are one of the major structural barriers that keep women farmers excluded from full participation in society.

Chike noted this in an interview with Blueprint to commemorate the 2026 International Women’s Day celebration, with the theme: “Give to Gain.”

According to her, up to 60 million tonnes of food products are lost after harvest, due to weak infrastructure, inadequate storage and preservation facilities, somersaults and failures in policy implementation, training and technology, access to finance and market, intermediaries, social exclusion.

She said: “Beyond celebration, we must ask: are the small women farmers who feed our nation and contribute significantly to Nigeria’s GDP truly seen, valued, included, dignified and participating fully in society?

“Did you know that in Nigeria there are 38 million small landowners, of which 70% are women farmers? Did you know that they produce 150 million tons of food every year?”.

She appealed to the need for policy frameworks that work for real women, not relationships, functional extension services, community centers and women-focused infrastructure.

According to her, these will reduce exploitation by middlemen, prevent dumping of producer prices and reduce the infrastructure burden on both the government and small farmers, especially women.

He also called for domestic storage, preservation systems and domestic technologies, adding that it will create jobs for girls, youth and everyone.

“Small farmers need access to finance, market access and coordinated systems, because this is about food security, inclusion, dignity, systemic change and the future of Nigeria and Africa.

“So, on this International Women’s Day, let’s give to earn. Let’s give a policy implementation that works and not jump through hoops, let’s give and pass the bill on reserved seats for women, let’s give inclusion, let’s give investment and let’s give visibility,” she said.