ActionAid Nigeria (AAN), the Small-scale Women Farmers Organization in Nigeria (SWOFON), the CAADP Non-State Actors Coalition (CNC), and others has decried the 1.11 percent budgetary allocation to the agricultural sector by the Federal Government.
Leaders of the groups made their displeasure known in Abuja at a media conference tagged ‘2023 Proposed Agriculture Budget,” stating that in the last seven years or more, the budget for the agricultural sector has not exceeded two percent of the total budget.
The dismal percent allocated to agriculture is a far cry from the 10 percent benchmark recommended at the Malabo Declaration on Accelerated Agricultural Growth and Transformation for Shared Prosperity and Improved Livelihoods.
ActionAid, Others Decry Low Budget Allocation to Agric
According to them, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development Headquarters got an allocation of N185 billion, while its departments and agencies received N106.3 billion in 2022, and in 2023, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development Headquarters received an allocation of N131.7 billion, while its 45 agencies, including universities of agriculture, received N97.7 billion.
Stakeholders in the sector condemned the sharing formula and said it is unfair and should be adjusted in order for implementing agencies to have a larger chunk of the total budgetary allocation to execute expected projects, programs, and policies.
Stakeholders Calls for Upward Review of Agric Budget in 2023
Manager, Governance Program, ActionAid Nigeria, Celestine Okwudili, assured that the group will explore options, including lobbying and reaching out to relevant ministers and other heads, for the release of funds for the fulfillment of recommendations made at the conference.
Others who also spoke include: Food and Agriculture Programme, ActionAid Nigeria, Azubike Nwokoye; Manager, Policy and Advocacy, ONE Campaign, Razaq Fatai; Chairperson, CAADP Non-State Actors, CNC, Rosemary Effiong; Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Secretariat, SWOFON, Nnanna Mercy Chukwuma; National Auditor, SWOFON, Safiya Yahaya; and FCT Budgit Committee, Chris Kaka
