Kwara state government has been urged to increase budgetary allocation on agriculture to ensure food sufficiency in the state.
Speaking with journalists on the analysis of 2024 Kwara state agriculture budget, carried out by the CSOs in Ilorin, the state capital, the group, led by, Abdurrahman Ayuba, lamented that the total state budget for 2024 is lower than that of 2023 budgetary allocation.
He said from the analysis, it is apparent that the percentage of the total agriculture budget to the total state budget is low compared with that of 2023.
Ayuba explained that the percentage budgeted for agriculture in 2024 is far below the international benchmark.
He urged the state government to increase its agriculture budget to meet the ten percent (10%) Maputo/Malabo Declaration and Commitment.
Ayuba also advocated that more attention should be given to Small Holder Farmers in terms of budgetary provision for hand-held devices such as mini tractors, weeders, planters, among others.
He advised the state government to seek collaboration with relevant stakeholders like the National Centre for Agricultural Mechanization (NCAM) for the production of farmers’ friendly equipment.
Ayuba also appealed to the state government to make conscious efforts in post harvest loss reduction by increasing market access through provision of processing facilities, upgrade of road infrastructure, appropriate training on processing and provision of storage facilities.
ALI MUHAMMAD RABIU
