Participants at a workshop on ‘Agriculture Budget Monitoring, Tracking and Advocacy’ organized by Action Aid Nigeria (AAN) have identified lack of adequate support from government, policy inconsistencies and environmental factors as some of the factors militating against agricultural development and food production especially among small scale women farmers.

They also said that oil spillage, farmers/herders conflicts, lack of access to land, credit facilities, market, information and the non-involvement in policy formulation of small scale farmers by government at all levels must be addressed to ensure food security in the country.

A gender and economic empowerment expert, Boyowa Roberts, said it is time for the government to come up with policies that will encourage farmers, especially the small-scale farmers, who constitute more than 70 percent of the Nigerian population.

She recalled that the 2005 Maputo Declaration mandated countries to allocate 10 percent of their annual budget to agriculture and wondered why the Federal Government was only allocating two percent to the sector in the 2018 budget.

An ActionAid partner and the executive director, Participation Initiative for Behavioural Change in Development (PIBCID), Gift Omoniwa, said community sponsorship of ActionAid Nigeria (AAN) is channeled towards helping the poorest of the poor who live in excluded communities across Nigeria to raise their standard of living.

Gov. Bagudu Assures Farmers Of Adequate Farming Inputs

Gov. Abubakar Bagudu of Kebbi has assured farmers in the state of adequate provision of more farming implement to boost agricultural activities.

Bagudu made the assertion on Monday at Waziri Umaru Federal Polytechnics during the report presentation by Agricultural committee of 21 local governments in the State.

The state government had set up the committee to find lasting solution to rivers dryness and other challenges facing farmers in the state.

He said the State government is ready to find solution to any problems that is associated with agriculture and food insecurity. The governor promised that the state would provide chemical, insecticides for farmers to protect their crops against rodents, Quellea birds and insects.

” Any community that requires agricultural support, the State government is ready to assist in boosting food production in the state.

” We have to focus on our attention to all farmers so that we can make optimal arrangement that can help farmers to produce more product in the State.”

Governor further said that state government has procured 10,000 metric tonnes of fertiliser for farmers and his administration is planning to distribute 300 tractors and 250 harvesters to farmers to boost food production in the state.

” We don’t have challenges of fertiliser because government has procured a lot of fertiliser for farmers in the state, we have fertilisers available for farmers at the rate of N5,000 and the farmers can get the fertiliser through their village and district Heads.

He stated that fertiliser that worth N128 million was given to Emir of Argungu, Alhaji Samila Mera to give to the farmers at a subsidiary rate to encourage more cultivation. Bagudu said what can be done in rice production can also be done in other crops to boost production.

The governor said that the state government has sign agreement with NNPC on sugar and cassava to produce ethanol and also sign another agreement with Dangote groups to establish rice mill company in the state.

He further said that women would not be ignored in farming because women are contributing much in rice production, saying “‘ We bought over 100 new small scale mill machines to give to women”.

He pleaded with the Commissioner for Women Affairs to organise women for more farming activities,” he said. Each of the 21 local governments in the state presented report on challenges facing farmers in their areas.