Irrigation Shortage Cripples Dry Season Farming in Oyo State, SWOFON Reports
The Smallholder Women Farmers Organisation in Nigeria (SWOFON), Oyo State chapter, has highlighted a critical challenge facing agriculture in the region. According to the organization, the absence of adequate irrigation facilities is severely impeding dry season farming activities across the state. This issue was emphasized in a recent interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ibadan, where SWOFON officials shared insights into the struggles of local farmers.
Farmers Grapple with Water Scarcity and High Costs
Atinuke Akinbade, the Chairperson of SWOFON in Oyo State, detailed the experiences of women farmers during the 2025 dry season. She explained that inadequate access to water for irrigation has significantly undermined the performance of many farmers. Those who managed to plant crops faced immense difficulties in securing sufficient water to irrigate their farms, a situation exacerbated by the adverse effects of climate change.
Many farmers relied on natural water sources such as streams and wells, but these proved insufficient, leading to major setbacks in crop production. In some cases, farmers were forced to purchase water from commercial tankers, which drastically increased production costs. Akinbade noted that even obtaining water from these tankers was sometimes challenging, further complicating the farming process.
Warnings of Escalating Food Insecurity
The SWOFON chairperson issued a stark warning, stating that failure to address this irrigation crisis could worsen food insecurity in the coming months. This concern was echoed by other SWOFON representatives, who described the severe hardships faced by farmers in sourcing water for irrigation.
Oluwatoyin Oyedeji, the SWOFON Coordinator in Oyo East, reported that many farmers are already counting significant losses due to the unavailability of water. Those dependent on streams and brooks were particularly affected, as many of these water bodies dried up during the dry season. In areas where water remained, farmers had to dig deeper into the ground to access it, adding to their labor and expenses.
Regional Impacts and Farmer Struggles
Similarly, Musiliu Ashiru, the Women Leader for farmers in Saki East, highlighted that the lack of irrigation facilities has also hampered dry season farming in her locality. She explained that many farmers who continued with dry season farming had to pay for water to sustain their crops. This often involved purchasing water from local dams, a costly and burdensome process that has made farming increasingly difficult this year.
The collective accounts from SWOFON officials underscore a pressing need for improved irrigation infrastructure in Oyo State. Without such interventions, the viability of dry season farming remains at risk, potentially leading to reduced agricultural output and heightened food insecurity. The organization calls for urgent action to support smallholder farmers and ensure sustainable farming practices in the face of climate challenges.
