SWOFON hails Gombe Govt over N35M budget, seeks timely release to mitigate food shortage
Chima Azubuike, Gombe
Small Scale Women Farmers Organization in Nigeria (SWOFON), Gombe state chapter on Friday, lauded the Inuwa Yahaya led administration over the budgetary allocation of N35M, for the support of Smallholder women farmers.
According to the group’s representative, Airudia Mamman, Gombe state had shown commitment to women farmers through the involvement of SWOFON in the preparation of her 2021 budget, adding that timely and full release will ensure food security in the state.
“We commend the Gombe State Government, and all relevant stakeholders for their unrelenting effort towards containing the pandemic in the state and for the Thirty Five Million Naira (N35,000,000) budget line allocated in year 2021 approved budget for the support of Smallholder women farmers in the state.
“We want to commend the Gombe State Government for the involvement of the Small Scale Women Farmers Organization in Nigeria (SWOFON) and other CSOs in the preparation of the state’s 2021 budget,” Mamman said.
Mamman stated these in press briefing on findings of Gombe State 2021 approved Agriculture budget analysis by Public Financing for Agriculture (PFA) budget committee, SWOFON, and Hope Foundation for the Lonely (HFL Gombe) with support from ActionAid Nigeria.
She said, “Monetary allocation to the Agricultural sector has increased marginally during the period of 2020 to 2021. However, a substantial percentage increase from the 2021 Agricultural budget allocation of 3.3% is much desired to hit the target of Malabo declaration of 10% allocation to the sector.
“Allocating resources in terms of figures to budget lines, especially capital allocations, is not enough. Analysis of previous budgets have shown that performance has been poor in terms of the release of funds. There is need to ensure that there is not just timely but also that total release of these funds are made available for implementation to meet up the intention.
“There should be a steady and deliberate incremental commitment to agriculture budget such that the 10% Malabo declaration target will be reached within the next three or less years.
“There is no provision for credit for Smallholder Women farmers in the state’s 2021 agriculture budget. There should be adequate provision for credits and loans for especially smallholder women farmers and youth; this will greatly boost their output resulting in food sufficiency, security, and self employment.
“We urge for prompt directives to the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry to workout modalities to address the issues mentioned to avoid the looming food crises we are facing.”
Speaking earlier, Member of the Budget Analysis Committee, Yahaya Atiku, said the essence of the commitee is to publicize the Agriculture budget of the state and show the budget lines.
Atiku said, “Secondly, to analyse the allocations as it relates to Smallholder women farmers, using the findings for advocacy across Ministries, Departments and Agencies, as well as state assembly on the issue of Smallholder women farmers.
“We concentrate on issues pertaining to loans, credit facilities, harvest and post harvest storage, market system development.”
On his part, the Executive Director, Hope Foundation for the Lonely (HFL) Mansa Musa, in his vote of thanks said without the active participation of key stakeholders much would not have been achieved.
He applauded the State Government for supporting women of the state whom are farmers, stressing that with the growing population a lot was still desired.
Musa added, “As we all know Agriculture is the main stay of the economy of Gombe State. I believe more than 70% of the people of the state are engaged in Agriculture; of course most of the farmers are small scale farmers with few large scale farmers.
“The population of Gombe State is increasing rapidly both from natural increase that is from birth and the movement of people from neighbouring state from Borno, Yobe where there is crisis.
