Lokoja – Stakeholders in Kogi have described the N2.19 billion allocated to agriculture in the 2016 budget of the state as `grossly inadequate.’
This is contained in a communiqué issued on Friday at the end of a dialogue organised by an NGO Participation Initiative for Behavioural Change in Development (PIBCID) with support from ActionAid Nigeria.
The stakeholders noted that the figure, which represents 2.93 per cent of the state’s budget of N75 billion ran contrary to the 2003 Maputo Declaration.
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The Maputo Declaration recommended 10 per cent of the total annual budget for agriculture.
The stakeholders contended that with its population of 3.35 million, the per capita investment of the state in agriculture as provided for in the budget stood at N655.72.
“With the dwindling oil prices, there is an urgent need for government at all levels to prioritise the agriculture sector and there is also need to improve agricultural productivity for pro-poor growth.
“This includes supporting women and youths in agriculture, access to affordable agricultural finance, farm inputs, land, quality extension services and research,’’ the communiqué added.
The communiqué recommended among others that critical stakeholders like Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), the media and farmers should be given the opportunity to participate in government budgetary processes.
It urged the state House of Assembly to increase budgetary allocation to the agriculture sector to guarantee food security for the state and the nation.
“The dialogue demands that funds could be cut from frivolous budget lines to bridge the gap in order to position agriculture as the mainstay of Kogi economy,’’ the communiqué said. (NAN)
