CSOs Urge Enhanced Funding for Kwara Small-holder Farmers

Date: 2024-05-14

According to a news report from Voice of Nigeria, a coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) has advocated for increased budgetary allocation to support small-holder farmers in Kwara State, situated in the North-Central region of Nigeria.

The coalition emphasised that such augmentation would facilitate more efficient planning and implementation of government interventions within the agricultural sector.

During a press briefing in Ilorin on Monday, the CSOs scrutinised the 2024 Kwara agriculture budget, highlighting concerns over its inadequacy.

Representing the CSOs, Mr Abdurrahman Ayuba, the Executive Director of the Centre for Community Empowerment and Poverty Eradication (CCEPE), underscored the significant disparity between the allocation for agriculture in 2024 compared to the previous year, 2023.

”The budget in 2023 was 2.12 per cent, while that of 2024 is just 1.49. There was a drop of 0.63 per cent. The 1.49 per cent is far below the international benchmark.

”We, therefore, urge the government to increase its agriculture budget to meet the 10 per cent Maputo/Malabo Declaration and Commitment.

”Also, there should be improved budgetary provision for the small-holder farmers, for hand-held devices, such as mini-tractors, weeders and planters, which will reach more farmers than the big tractors they find difficult to access and maintain.

”We, however, observed that in the 2024 agriculture budget, women in agriculture, received N11,379,900, which represents 0.26% of the total budget.

”This is commendable, when compared to what was provided in the year 2023, which was a paltry sum of N3,000,000; this is encouraging,” he said.

Equipment & Training

Ayuba called on government to do more for women in agriculture, especially in the area of women-friendly farming equipment and value addition.

”We advise the state government to also seek collaboration with relevant stakeholders, like National Centre for Agricultural Mechanisation, NCAM, for production of farmer- friendly equipment like mini-tractors, weeders, etc,” he said.

He recommended continuous training for women farmers on modern farming techniques and best practices in order to increase productivity in the agriculture value chain.

”The committee has observed persistent zero budgetary allocation for farmers on access to credit; we encourage the government to allocate funds to this key area.

”The funds can be used for capacity building by the ministry of agriculture and natural resources to educate women farmers and support them on how to access available credit facilities with commercial banks and microfinance banks,” he said.

The CSOs like Welfare for Children and Teenagers Initiative, Fulfilling Dreams Foundation, Worthy Life Education/Health Foundation and FEMCOM were represented at the occasion.

 

Cloud Tag: What's trending

Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.

Saka Isau     Kunle Akogun     Idiagbon     Mohammed Khadijat Kubura     Alikinla     Suraj Tunji Oyewale     Haliru Dantoro     AGF Abdulrazaq     Ado Ibrahim     John Obuh     Mohammed Ibrahim     Chief Imam Of Lafiagi     Salihu Jibril Garbi     Asiwaju Bola Tinubu     Waheed Ibrahim     UNIFEMGA     Split Diamond Interchange     Bello Taoheed Abubakar     Bayo Ojo     Ishola Abdullahi     Offa Grammer School     Saadu Gbogbo Iwe     Kanu Agabi     Tafidan Kaiama     IsDB     Logun     Samuel Olusegun Adedayo     Kwasu     Fatai Garuba Labaka     Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission     Otunba Taiwo Joseph     Ajayi Okasanmi     Abdullahi Dasilva Yussuf     Salami Adekunle     Shaaba Lafiagi     John Mayokun Dada     Kulende     Yoonus Kola Olatinwo     Towoju     Federal College Of Education (Special), Afon     Abdulraheem Olesin     Alagbado     Owu Fall     Dorcas Afeniforo     Mope Dasuki Belgore     Geri-Alimi Split Diamond Interchange     Kamaldeen Kehinde     Funke Adedoyin     Idi-Ape     Kwara State Sports Commission     Nurudeen Mohammed     Balogun Gambari     Abubakar Imam     Bursary     Sam Onile     Ishaq Oloyede     Shururat Olatinwo     Ilesha-Baruba     Ibrahim Gambari     Yahya Mohammed     Segun Abifarin     Bankole Omisore     Iliasu     Leke Ogungbe     Olaitan Adefila     Olota Of Odo-Owa     Alapansapa     GANZY     Binta Abubakar Mora     High Court     Vasolar Consortium     Suleiman Mora Omar     Isiaka Abdulrazak     Umar Saro     Abdulmalik Bashir Mopelola Risikatullahi     Oba Abu     Gbugbu International Market    

Cloud Tag: What's trending

Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.

Ahmad Fatima Bisola     Kunle Akogun     Michael Nzekwe     Budo Egba     Alaro     Abdulkadir Orire     JMK Construction Company Limited     Minister     Hausa     Owu Fall     Owode Market     Gani Saadu     Kwara Apc     11th Galadima     Shehu Adaramaja     Ayekale     Towobola Abdulrahman Toyin     Elerinjare-Ibobo     Mary Arinde     Sidikat Alaya     David Adesina     Aisha Ahman Pategi     Unilorin FM     Adesoye College     Firdaos Amasa     Federal College Of Education (Special), Afon     Yusuf Lawal     Galadiman Ngeri     Hassan Abdulazeez Elewu     Salaudeen Oyewale     Erin-ile     Yusuf Aiyedun     Akume     Salake     Mohammed Ghali Alaaya     Sarkin Malamai     Sheikh Ridhwanullah El-ilory     Kisra     Kwara Liberation Group     Yakubu Mohammed Abdullahi     Bolakale Saka     Afonja     Ilorin Durbar     Suleiman Alege Kuranga     Abdulwahab Olarewaju Issa     Assayomo     Ekweremadu     Muhammad Akande Olarewaju Odunade     Salihu Jibril Garbi     Kassim Babamale     Roheemat Hammed     Oluranti Idowu     Hassan A. Saliu     PAACO-PCL Consortium     SWAN     Umar Ayinla Saro     Kwara State University Of Education     Hikmah AbdulKareem     Waziri Yakubu Gobir     Abdullateef Abdussalam     QuickWin     Ojuekun Sarumi     Park     Sadiq Umar     Mamman Saba Jibril     Oasis Muslim Care Foundation     April 11     NFAI     Abubakar Usman Jos     Hassan Oyeleke     Senate Presidency     Ajakaye     Florence Saraki     Olawuyi     Women For Change And Development Initiative     Alumni Association Of The Federal Polytechnic Offa     Kwara State Fire Service