NGOs laments 6.6 percent budgetary allocation for Agriculture

The Participation Initiative for Behavioural Change in Development, PIBCID and ActionAid Nigeria through Scaling up Public Investment Agriculture, SUPIA, have lamented what they described as poor budgetary allocation for Agriculture in Kogi State.

The Non-Governmental Organizations, NGO, who made their position known on Tuesday August 17 in Lokoja, during a one-day state level stakeholders’ consultative meeting on 2022 Kogi State Agriculture budget, said the 6.6% for Agriculture is grossly inadequate and contradicts the 10 percent Maputo declaration of 2003.

Speaking at the event, the Executive Director, Participation Initiative for Behavioural Change in Development, PIBCID, Halima Sadiq, said the aim of the stakeholder consultative meeting was to leverage on the Nigeria Agricultural Policy and its connection to the comprehensive Africa Agricultural Development Program (CAADP) targets.

According to her, the programme was also aimed at strengthening citizens’ participation towards making 2022 Agricultural budget responsive towards food security and wealth creation.

Our Kogi State Correspondent, reports that Sadiq, noted that without solving food/farm security, the country cannot solve the National security issues. 

"With rising hunger and social insecurity, the peace will continue to be threatened. Farms are getting abandoned, due to social security threats and natural disasters. Making farm safe and funding Agricultural mechanization, will not only create more jobs, but engage restless youths, that have turned to crime for a living", she stressed.

In his  presentation on critical look at the 2021 Agricultural budget and way forward on 2022 Agriculture budget, Mr. Idris Ozovehe Muraina, member, Scaling Up Public Investment Agriculture, SUPIA, said the latest UN World Food Programme estimates 957 million people across 93 countries of the world, do not have enough to eat.

Muraina, explained: "Nigeria, particularly Kogi State, is not exempted from this. A total of 239 million people are in dire need of life-saving humanitarian action and protection this year alone. COVID-19 has struck at a time when hunger or undernourishment keeps rising. 

"Most low income, resource constraint economies, would be most hit with the food crisis and Food insecurity. Nigeria with her over 190 million people and over 100 million living in poverty, will have to increase its resources to the Agriculture sector to combat the impending disaster.

"Over the years, Kogi State has been under-budgeting for the sector. This is despite its huge advantage in terms of its large population of over 4 million and a-70% farming sub group, coupled with its location at the confluence of the Rivers Niger and Benue. This makes its soil conducive for many food and cash crops”. 

He maintained that Nigeria is a signatory and committed to providing at least 10% of its annual Budget to Agriculture, under the Maputo Declaration of 2003 and as such upholding the commitment in this COVID-19 era is crucial. 

He added that with an approved allocation of N7, 689,925,925.00 to the Agriculture sector, Kogi State in 2021, plans to spend N1,687.74k on each person, stressing that this allocation is slightly above 2020 allocation, but still grossly inadequate, considering the current economic trend and depreciation in the value of the naira. 

Muraina, stressed the need to review existing policies and framework on Agriculture, adding that there is need to increase funding to the sector to meet the 10% Maputo declaration.

Muraina, also urged the government to focus resources to achieve greater value for money, enhance legislative oversight for the sector, include climate change, ensure youth and women participate in policy to harness the numerical number of these groups in improving the state food security and alleviating the daunting poverty in their respective communities.

The National Auditor and State Coordinator, Small Scale Women Farmer’s Organization in Nigeria, SWOFON, Hajiya Safiya Yahaya, said the meeting started since 2012, but expressed disappointment over the poor implementation of Agricultural budget in Kogi State.

Representative from the Kogi State Ministry of Budget and Planning, Saeed Abdulllahi, explained that the budget approved was based on what was obtainable, looking at the peculiar nature of the state, adding that the government is making efforts in improving its budgetary provisions.

On his part, the Chairman of Budget Committee in the State, Mr. Matthias Okpanachi, thanked all relevant agencies for making the stakeholders’ meeting a reality, stressing that the struggle for a better Agricultural sector, started since 2012.

The Acting Director, Planning Research and Statistics, Kogi State Ministry of Agriculture, Mr. Abraham Ahmed, averred that due to paucity of funds to the ministry, they could not implement most of its plans in the state, geared towards improved Agriculture and food security.

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