- Stakeholders in Nasarawa North Senatorial Zone urge substantial agricultural funding in the 2025 budget to address food inflation, emphasizing the need for more inputs and mechanization.
- Representatives advocate for empowering women farmers with loans, improving rural roads for better produce transportation, and constructing skills acquisition centers to reduce youth unemployment and restiveness.
- The town hall, organized by the Ministry of Finance, Budget, and Planning, highlighted the importance of citizen participation in budget planning. The World Bank programs emphasize budget transparency and sustainable debt management.
Nasarawa Stakeholders Urge Bold Agricultural Funding in 2025 Budget to Combat Inflation
Stakeholders from Nasarawa North Senatorial Zone are calling for a significant increase in agricultural funding in the state’s 2025 budget to address the ongoing food inflation crisis.
At a Citizens’ Budget town hall consultation on Friday in Akwanga, stakeholders from various groups—including Civil Society Organisations, farmers, youth, and market women—gathered to voice their concerns. The event was organized by the state’s Ministry of Finance, Budget, and Planning.
Mrs. Hanatu David, representing the Smaller Scale Women Farmers Organisation in Nigeria (SWOFON), emphasized the need for more funds for agricultural inputs to boost productivity.
“Lack of agrochemicals and other farm inputs is hindering farmers, especially smallholder farmers,” David said. She also highlighted the necessity of mechanization to harness Nasarawa’s agricultural potential.
Mrs. Hassana Sunday, President of the Market Women Association in Akwanga LGA, supported the call for increased agricultural funding.
She argued that it would allow more farmers to benefit from government interventions, ultimately improving their yields. Sunday also stressed the importance of empowering women farmers and entrepreneurs through soft loans to expand their farms and businesses.
Mr. Akolo David, Secretary of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), appealed for the development of rural roads to facilitate the transportation of farm produce.
He also called for the construction of skills acquisition centers to train youth in vocational skills, aiming to reduce unemployment and youth restiveness in the state.
Representatives of different tribal associations in Akwanga LGA, Adigizi Anzaku Ekomki and William Allu Vincent, expressed their gratitude to the state government for including their inputs in the 2024 budget.
They highlighted the renovation of the Akwanga Youth Centre and the construction of rural roads as significant achievements but urged the government to equip the youth center with basic facilities.
Hajiya Munira Abdullahi, Commissioner for Finance, Budget, and Planning, highlighted the importance of the town hall consultation.
Represented by Alh. Ahmed Mohammed, Senior Special Assistant to Gov. Abdullahi Sule on Banking and Finance, Abdullahi noted that the consultation ensures the 2025 budget reflects citizens’ input.
She mentioned that the World Bank, through programs like the State Fiscal Transparency, Accountability, and Sustainability (SFTAS) Programme for Results (P4R) and the State Action on Business Enabling Reforms (SABER), urges states to follow a uniform protocol focusing on budget transparency.
“This programme is designed to support Nigerian states in implementing a Fiscal Sustainability Plan…, enhancing efficiency in public expenditure, and ensuring sustainable debt management,” Abdullahi said.
“Engaging the citizenry in meetings like this is a vital step towards achieving this goal, as it brings in their inputs and supports the government in delivering quality services down to the grassroots.”
Stakeholders hope that their calls for increased agricultural funding will be heeded, leading to a more robust and sustainable agricultural sector capable of mitigating food inflation and promoting overall economic growth in Nasarawa State.