Allocate 10% national budget to agric, FG told

The National Coordinator African Union Development Agency-New Partnership for Africa’s Development (AUDA-NEPAD) Nigeria, Princess Gloria Akobundu, has urged the Federal Government to allocate not less than 10 percent of the total national budget to the agricultural sector.

Akobundu made the call Wednesday in Abuja at the closing ceremony of a two-day summit on strengthening smallholder farmer capabilities towards productive land restoration amid COVID-19 in Nigeria, with the theme, “Building Resilient Communities and Strengthening Food Systems”.

She stressed that this plays an important role in the economic development of any nation. “Agriculture needs to be treated as a business; not as a development program. Government needs to allocate not less than 10% of the national budget to the sector,” Akobundu said.

The Chairman, National Steering Committee of the project, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State, assured that the smallholder farmers are at the core of meeting domestic food needs and achieving food security.

He stressed the importance of supporting the productivity of smallholder farmers as the country gradually work to cushion the economic and social challenges posed by the global coronavirus pandemic.