President Muhammadu Buhari-led government will continue to distribute fertilizers and improved seeds to rural farmers with Growth Enhancement Support (GES) programme as a platform.
The Minister of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbeh, said at the budget defense in February that the government would continue to deliver inputs like fertilizers, seeds and agro-chemicals to smallholder farmers via the GES programme.
Also, with the provision for research funds to many institutions under the ministry, there are hopes that farmers would soon get improved seeds, soil fertility and professional services via agricultural extension services.
For instance, National Agricultural Seeds Council, in its budget, made a provision for the fabrication of branded kiosks for seeds distribution in rural areas. Also, the council plans for seed storage technology for seed companies, agro dealers and farmers and processing capacity for seed processors.
The council also plans to identify and register community-based seeds farmers organisations for easy distribution and information management.
Another agency under the ministry, the Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service, has plans to install and upgrade Mycotoxin testing equipment and diagnostic and screening laboratory enhancement programme and training school. This is part of efforts to improve Nigeria’s agro products for exports, especially to Europe and America. The countries have some specifications for the produces they import.
At the budget defense, Chief Ogbeh said most of the initiatives by the ministry were anchored on diversification, import substitution to export substitution, labour-intensive family enterprises (life) programmes, agricultural mechanization, grazing reserves/stock routes development.
He said the ministry was already committed to increase the national food supply to address the national food security in 2016, promising that the sector will add 20 million metric tonnes annually to national food supply.
Giving a breakdown of the 2016 budget, for Agriculture Ministry, Chief Ogbeh said the sum of N40,918,856,927 would be spent, while the sum of N34, 501,127,211, representing 84 per cent, stands for capital projects, N235, 259,192 representing 0.6 per cent stand for overhead costs.
He said the sum of N6,182,470,524, representing 15 per cent of total proposal, would be spent on personnel.
He said the ministry was projecting an Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of N904,739,098.69 for 2016 fiscal year, adding that N664,998,569.88 would be from taxes and N239,740,528.81 as Independent Revenue.
Meanwhile, there is no clear indication on how much of the N40.9 billion would be spent on fertilizer, insecticide and even the seeds distribution to farmers. Already, the rainy season has commenced in many places, yet it is uncertain how many farmers will access the vital inputs from government.
