Full Text of Budget Committee Group Communique
Preamble
ActionAid Nigeria (AAN) in collaboration with the Budget Committee Group (BCG) of Bauchi, Gombe, Ondo, Delta, Kwara, Ebonyi, Kogi States including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), organised a 2-day Public Financing for Agriculture Budget Committee Advocacy (PFA-BCA) Summit held at Hawthorn Suites, Abuja from 28th-29th September 2021.
The Forum brought together a total number of 40 Budget Committee Group (BCG) members across 7 States and the FCT. The Summit was held to share experiences, best practices, and build a link towards achieving Scaling Up Public Investments in Agriculture (SUPIA).
COMMENDATION
The Forum recognises and commend the progressive improvement in the collaboration between Federal and State governments and the Non-State Actors in the effort towards promoting increased investment, transparency and accountability in public financing of agriculture across the States
KEY OBSERVATIONS
- The forum observed a marginal increase in agricultural budget allocations in some States between 2012 – 2021. However, these allocations still fell below the Maputo/Malabo Declaration benchmark of 10%. ,
- Regrettably, the late passage and releases of fund to the sector continues to impede the capacity of Federal and State governments to drive socio-economic development including food security within the policy thrust of the diversification of the economy towards agriculture.
- The agricultural policy which is expected to focus and drive development of favourable and sustainable guidelines for the promotion of economic growth is absent in some States.
- Some Federal and States MDAs do not respect the FOI Act as regards to public access to budget proposals, appropriation, releases and utilization of funds.
- The development of the new national agricultural policy (National Agricultural Transformation and Innovation Plan-NATIP) was devoid of consultations with smallholder farmers, especially women and CSOs. This has resulted to a low level of public awareness on the new policy and needs to be improved.
- Without solving food-farm security issues, we cannot solve the national and states security issues. With rising hunger and social insecurity, the peace of the country will continue to be threatened. Farms are getting abandoned due to social security threats and natural disasters. Making farms safe and funding agricultural mechanisation will create not only more food but also jobs to engage restless youths that have turned to crime for a living.
- Smallholder women farmers have continually been given a back seat in the discussion, planning, and implementation of agricultural budget, despite their role of contributing over 70% of agricultural production.
- There is inadequate awareness and knowledge on the CAADP/ Malabo performance indicators by stakeholders (Ministries, Departments and Agencies, State Ministries, Farmer Organizations, CSOs, Private Sector, etc.).
KEY RECOMMENDATIONS
- We call on Federal and State Executives, National and State Houses of Assembly to Scale Up Public Investment in Agriculture. Ensure timely consideration, passage and total budget releases as a strategic approach to increase food production, reduce hunger and poverty and achieve the Maputo/Malabo Commitment.
- Public investment in agriculture should be scaled up in the specific areas of Extension Services, Access to Credit, Women in Agriculture, Youth in Agriculture, Appropriate Labour-Saving Technologies, Inputs, Post-Harvest Losses Reduction Supports (processing facilities, storage facilities, trainings, market access, etc.), Climate Resilient Sustainable Agriculture (CRSA)/Agroecology, Research and Development, Monitoring and Evaluation, as well as Coordination.
- FMARD should create awareness/sensitization of stakeholders on the new agricultural policy as part of effort towards promoting improved citizen participation in budget process.
- The existing relationship between the Federal and State Governments and the Non-States Actors should be strengthened in a bid to promote accountability and transparency in public resource management.
- There is a need to bring more smallholder women farmers to the front of the budget planning discussion at national and state levels. Women need to be brought side by side their male counterpart in the discussion and planning of agricultural budget and its implementation.
- The yearly Federal and States agriculture budget should be more gender responsive by providing line items for the implementation of the National Gender Policy in Agriculture that address specific challenges that affect women farmers different from men as well as avoid lumping up budget for women farmers and other groups such as youths.
- There is a need to have a State investment plan for the agricultural sector. The national investment plan should be a compilation of the State developed agricultural investment plans that contains state crops with comparative advantages. Such plan will highlight the commitment of the states, PPP windows and their alignment to the national economic policy and development plans
- As approved by the 44th National Council on Agriculture and Rural Development (NCARD); the three tiers of government should commit 10% of their annual budget to the agriculture sector to meet the 10% Maputo/Malabo Declaration required to support at least 6% growth rate for the sector as postulated in the CAADP framework.
- For improved CAADP Biennial Reporting to the AUC, there should be continuous adoption of the use of CAADP/Malabo indicators at state level and capacity building of state-level stakeholders on the CAADP/Malabo performance indicators.
- In the light of late budget releases, MDAs need to itemise their priorities and give a proper timeline that synchronizes with farmers and farm season. Without such timed budget, capital budget releases may not be coming at the time when farmers need them.
- Considering the agricultural risk; rising insecurity in farms; farm raiding, cattle destructions, and kidnappers, climate and other natural disasters, farmers are not encouraged to continue farm practices without risk covers. Hence, both Federal and State governments should promote the enrolment of agricultural insurance policies for smallholder farmers, while challenging the poor security issues that threatens our farms.
- The forum appreciates the support of the media and calls on them to increase their collaboration with the civil society groups in promoting increased investment in Agriculture.
- MDAs at the National and State levels are urged to respect the FOI act and provide access to budget information.
- Most Agricultural activities are seasonal and is determined by climatic condition which varied from South to the Northern part of the Country. Fund releases should consider and give priority to seasonal projects. The Federal Government may need to legislate on warehousing funds for Agriculture Sector to mitigate the effect of untimely release of fund.
- The agriculture sector requires a separate budget cycle to enable FMARD achieve its mandate. Buffer funds from sources such as Consolidated Oil Revenue, Oil Revenue Surplus, Natural Resource Funds, Climate Resource Funds, and the National Agricultural Development Fund (Establishment) Bill, 2019 being proposed by the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development should be considered given the strategic importance of the sector. Additionally, given the time bound nature of farming activities, agricultural budgets must be released on time and fully to enable farmers plant in due season.
- Strengthen the monitoring of implementation of Agricultural projects in the budget by all relevant stakeholders such as FMARD, Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning, State Ministries of Agriculture and Agriculture Committees in the NASS and State Assemblies, Farmers and CSOs using an adapted CAADP Results measurement framework and reports documented, shared, and reviewed to enhance lessons learning and improvement in budget implementation.
Endorsed By
National Association of Nigerian Traders (NANTS)
Civil Society Legislation Advocacy Centre (CISLAC)
Small Scale Women Farmers Organisation in Nigeria (SWOFON)
Fahimta Women And Youth Development Initiative (FAWOYDI) Bauchi State
Association of Small Scale Agro Producers in Nigeria (ASSAPIN)
Trade Network Initiative (TNI), Abuja
Environmental and Rural Mediation Center (ENVIRUMEDIC), Delta State
African Centre for Environmental and Rural Development (ACERD) PFA BCG, Delta State
Participation Initiative for Behavioral Change in Development (PIBCID), Kogi State
Initiative for Grassroot Advancement in Nigeria (INGRA), Kogi State
Youth and Women’s Health Empowerment Initiative (YAWHEP), Kogi State
Centre for Community Empowerment and Poverty Eradication (CCEPE), Kwara State
Meadows Community and Development Outreach (MCDO), Kwara State
Worthy Life Education & Health Foundation, Kwara State
Participatory Development Alternatives (PDA), Ebonyi State
Community Health and Development (CHAD) Intiative Ebonyi State
Community Activistas, Ebonyi State
Activista Nigeria
ActionAid Nigeria
Women Empowerment Initiative (WEIN), Bauchi State
Renaissance Care and Empowerment Foundation (RECEF NIGERIA), Kogi State
Neferok Development Initiative (NeDI), Delta State
Community Heritage Watch for Development Initiative, Ondo State
WILDAN CARE FOUNDATION
Justice, Development and Peace Center, Ondo State
Hope Foundation for the Lonely, Gombe State
Young Farmers Initiative, Gombe State
Periscope Nigeria.
