ActionAid wants direct allocations for agric devt funding
The ActionAid Nigeria (AAN) has called for direct allocation from government to Agricultural Development programme (ADP) as part of measures to ensure access to extension services especially by smallholder women farmers. The AAN Food and Agriculture Programme Coordinator, Azubike Nwokoye, made the call in Abuja on Tuesday during the public presentation of the 35-page “Outcomes […]
FILE PHOTO: A cowpea farm at the University of Agriculture in Makurdi
The ActionAid Nigeria (AAN) has called for direct allocation from government to Agricultural Development programme (ADP) as part of measures to ensure access to extension services especially by smallholder women farmers.
The AAN Food and Agriculture Programme Coordinator, Azubike Nwokoye, made the call in Abuja on Tuesday during the public presentation of the 35-page “Outcomes of Assessment of Government Expenditure on Agriculture/Community Score Cards on Smallholder Women Farmers Access to Extension Services”.
“Funding is a major challenge and must be addressed both by the Federal and the State governments. Presently, it is very difficult to determine the actual extension allocations within the ministry budget, so it is recommended that the ADPs get direct allocation from government,” Nwokoye said.
According to him, while agriculture is the second largest contributor to Nigeria’s GDP at 23 percent, smallholder farmers dominate the agriculture sector and produce 90 percent of the output, yet they have difficulties accessing agricultural extension services.