The joint Senate and House of Representatives Committees on Agricultural Production and Services of the National Assembly on Thursday advocated a gradual increase in budgetary allocation to agriculture to ensure food security in the country.
They gave the charge in Abuja during the 2024 budget performance and 2025 budget proposal presented by the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari.
In his remark, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Agriculture Production Services and Rural Development, Senator Saliu Mustapha said that Nigeria must fund the agricultural sector by allocating more resources to address food insecurity.
He however noted that the 2025 allocation to the sector was appreciable and a sign that things will get better in no distant future.
He said: “The allocation of about 4.2% of the total budget to the agricultural sector in 2024 was a positive development, at keeping with the commitment Nigeria made in the Maputo Declaration to commit at least 10%.
“This is a significant improvement for Nigeria’s economy and the future of its agricultural sector. The effort is commendable and the President is called upon to do more.
“In the year 2024, the sector, despite the climate change and insecurity in the nation, contributed significantly to the Nigerian’s economy. This is emphasized from the report by the National Bureau of Statistics, which reported an initial growth of 0.18% in the year 2024.
“I assure you of our readiness and commitment to work assiduously and pass the 2025 budget that will reposition the agricultural sector in line with the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
ALSO READ: Peter Obi donates N20m to two Christian schools in Anambra
“I must commend the effort of Mr. President, President Bola Tinubu and the Executive on the attempt of repositioning the agricultural sector, and the concerted effort to return it as the mainstay of Nigeria’s economy”.
In a brief remark, the Chairman, House Committee on Agricultural Production and Services, Hon. Bello Kaoje who concurred with his Senate counterpart said that the Agricultural sector is key to all sectors of the economy hence it cannot be ignored.
According to him, the sector needs all the attention it deserves to help the country address its food security challenges which he said will spur development.
On the other hand, a member of the Committee, Senator Adamu Aleiro lamented that, Nigeria is yet to meet the allocation of 10 percent of the National Budget to agriculture in order to meet the threshold of the Malabo declaration.
He also expressed displeasure over the huge reduction in the allocation to Federal Ministry of Agriculture which he argued holds the key for food security in this country.
He said: “Your co-mandate is to ensure massive production of food for the country. And you know very well that in the next eight to ten years, Nigeria is going to be the third-largest country in the world in terms of population. Only after China, India, the next country will be Nigeria.
“With this allocation coming to the agricultural sector, how do we cater for the huge population that is going to come up with this kind of allocation coming to the agricultural sector?
“Mr. Chairman, distinguished colleagues, I think there is need for both the House of Representatives and the Senate to make a very strong recommendation.
“The House of Representatives has made a very strong recommendation to the Appropriations Committee for an upward review of this allocation. The reduction of 2 percent, honestly, is alarming. I would expect an increase from 4 percent to 6 or 8 percent in line with the declaration we made at Maputo or Malabo or wherever.
“Mr. Chairman, I think we are making a great recommendation. if we are to cater for the coming population we really have to do a lot and this is rather compounded by the fact that this year we have terrible flood that affected the production of food particularly for farmers that are engaged in agricultural activities within the river plains whether it’s river niger river anywhere or whatever.
“This has affected food production in this country and I’m one of those who don’t believe in the importation of food even though some have recommended to the federal government that we should import food no instead we should engage our farmers in massive production of food both in the dry season and the rainy season.
“We are lucky we have underground water and that’s why i cannot understand the reduction in this allocation to the agricultural sector. Mr chairman distinguished colleagues that agriculture in Nigeria is still at the subsistence level mechanization is required need to improve yield by hectare. Presently the yield by hectare is between two to four percent.
“We need to increase it to about six to eight per cent it’s obtained in other climates like India, China Indonesia and what have you. Even in Pakistan. So there is need for us to concentrate heavily on providing irrigation facilities to our farmers and this can only happen if there is increased allocation to the agriculture sector.
“I will be the task for both the executive and also the legislative arm of government. We on our part are ready to team up with the ministry to ensure that food is made available to every Nigerian”.
Earlier, the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari who presented the Ministry’s proposed 2025 budget estimates said that the sector needs urgent intervention to contribute its quota to the development of the nation.
He said: “I would like to spell out that the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security is mandated to ensure food security, employment generation and wealth creation through commodity value chain, agribusiness and rural development activities in the country.
“The 2022 to 2027 National Agriculture Technology and Innovation Policy, NATI, is the guiding tool to drive the process of the innovative research system, holistic mechanization drive, rural infrastructure provision and commodity value chain development for economic diversification, livelihood opportunities and income earnings in the country.
“In line with the presidential priority, the Ministry is acting along the 24 outlined deliverables for youth and women empowerment, food security, economic growth, job creation and poverty eradication.
“The policy direction is to provide the enabling environment for public-private partnership for agribusiness undertakings in the country. It is also classified as immediate, short, medium and long-term. The details of these plans are highlighted in the Ministry’s submission before the Committee”.
Giving a highlight of the Ministry’s 2024 budget performance and 2025 proposed Budget, he said: “The Main Ministry had a total appropriation of 250,396,8721.9. The focus of the amount was a total appropriation of 250,396,821.9.Naira.
“This comprises 10,626,015,992 Naira for personnel cost, representing 4.2% of the budget. N1,034,642,376 for overhead cost, representing 0.41% of the budget. And N238,485,350,353 for capital projects and programmes, representing 95.24% of the ministry’s budget.
The analysis of the 2024 capital budget appropriation for the main ministry is as follows. The main ministry’s 2024 budget performance is as follows. The N10,626,015,992,000 was appropriated for personal costs. Also, the sum of N1,034,642,376 appropriated for over-cost.
“Also, the total sum was released and utilized. In the capital cost appropriation of N238,485,350,353, the sum of N32,952,649,987 has been released to the Ministry, and this amount represents 13.82% of the capital appropriation for the main Ministry.
“The released capital fund has been fully committed on various projects and programs of the Ministry, in line with the 2024 appropriations. The multilateral loans consist of six number projects, amounting to the sum of N29,504,742,593. Usually, the total amount will be deducted at source for the purpose for which it was Internally generated revenue.
“The Ministry projected in 2024 achieved by the Ministry. The tax reform, through the Ministry, steamrolled the investment and acquired new, different programs. An overall representing 111.8% of the amount of the amount of the investment that was made in the last years.”
READ MORE FROM: NIGERIAN TRIBUNE