The Director of Research at the Centre for Population and Environmental Development, Dr Johnson Dudu, has raised concerns over the impact of insecurity in the North-East on food sufficiency, stating that many women farmers now require escorts to access their farms. Dudu made this statement on Thursday during a one-day empowerment programme for women in pastoralism and agriculture in Nigeria’s Sahel region. The policy workshop was organised with support from Cowater International, the International Development Research Centre, and the Supporting Pastoralism and Agriculture in Recurrent and Protracted Crises programme, funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office. He said, “Women need security, especially when accessing their farms. Many women cannot go to their farms without security, putting food production at risk.” Dudu further called for an improved security framework in the region to ensure food sufficiency, stating, “There should be measures to strengthen the security network in states like Gombe, Bauchi, and the North-East as a whole, and, of course, the entire country.” He emphasised CPED’s commitment to evidence-based development. “That is why we work closely with policymakers to achieve meaningful progress. Our goal is to ensure sustainable development, which we pursue by empowering community members, particularly women, through initiatives like the Supporting Pastoralism and Agriculture in Recurrent and Protracted Crises programme,” he said. Also speaking at the event, Professor Muhammad Bibi highlighted the workshop’s objectives: “The essence of this initiative is to study the problems, provide solutions, and effectively communicate the outcomes.”