Stakeholders blame weak policy implementation and poor funding as grassroots forum in Abuja seeks urgent government intervention

More than 80 percent of rural women farmers across Nigeria remain unaware of existing climate finance opportunities, according to findings presented at a national policy engagement forum held in Abuja on Wednesday. The forum, organised by the International Centre for Environmental Health and Development (ICEHD) under its Grassroots Women Climate Action project and supported by the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF), brought together government officials, civil society organisations and development partners to address persistent gender gaps in agriculture and climate-related funding.

Participants at the forum noted that despite several national and state-level policies on climate change, agriculture and women’s economic empowerment, weak implementation and limited awareness have left many rural women excluded from government interventions meant to boost resilience against climate shocks. “Most of our women in the villages do not even know these finance opportunities exist, let alone how to access them,” a representative from ICEHD said during plenary.

The gathering highlighted that lack of information is compounded by bureaucratic hurdles and financing barriers, making it difficult for rural women to benefit from available support. Stakeholders argued that increasing access to climate finance is essential for improving food security and livelihoods among women smallholder farmers, who are often the most affected by droughts, floods and changing weather patterns across Nigeria’s agricultural belts.

Government representatives at the event acknowledged the challenges but stressed that efforts are ongoing to mainstream gender inclusion in agricultural value chains. “We are reviewing our outreach strategies so more women get the right information and support,” a Federal Ministry of Agriculture official told participants. Civil society groups called for targeted awareness campaigns at the community level, along with simplified processes for accessing funds.

ICEHD urged both federal and state authorities to prioritise women’s access to climate finance as part of broader economic empowerment initiatives. The centre also recommended stronger collaboration between government agencies, CSOs and donor bodies to bridge information gaps. Stakeholders agreed to monitor progress on policy reforms while seeking additional resources for grassroots sensitisation programmes in rural communities nationwide.

Source: https://guardian.ng/business-services/agro-care/over-80-of-rural-women-unaware-of-climate-finance-opportunities/