CSOd: Nigeria not on track to end hunger in 2025

This was made known in a communique after a one-day Non-State Actors (NSAs) Post National Dialogue & Dissemination on Nigeria’s Performance at the 3rd Biennial Review Exercise on the Implementation of the information and capacity for CSOs, Smallholder Women Farmers and Media Comprehensive Africa organised by ActionAid Nigeria (AAN) and ActionAid International (AAI).

The communique was endorsed by 31 organisations including some media organisations about Nigeria’s performance in the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP).

What The Report Said

The report also indicated that smallholder women farmers only have access to 18 per cent of processing facilities; 16.60 per cent access to storage facilities; 13.50 per cent access to off-takers/access to markets; 9.60 per cent access to transportation for agricultural produce; 42.30 per cent access to trainings; On Extension Services, smallholder women farmers have access to only 5.26 per cent farm demonstrations and 19.47 per cent farmers field schools; On agricultural credit, they have access to less than 23 per cent of existing credit facilities; On Agricultural Insurance, smallholder women farmers have 4.7 per cent access; On access to land control over land 59 per cent have access to land, 29.77 per cent have control, while only 11.23 per cent are engaged in land governance discussion; While government is making effort for more Public Private Partnership arrangements in Nigeria’s agriculture sector, smallholder women farmers’ access to such schemes across the country remains below 27 per cent.

The communique reads in part, “Nigeria is reported not to be on track in the following commitments: Recommitment to the Principles and Values of the CAADP process; Enhancing investment financing in agriculture; Ending hunger in 2025; Enhancing resilient to Climate visibility; Enhancing mutual accountability for actions and results.

“We call on Federal and State Executives, National and State Houses of Assembly to upscale public investment in agriculture, and ensure timely consideration, passage,and total budget releases as a strategic approach to increase food production, reduce hunger and poverty, and achieve the

“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 stakeholders on the CAADP/Malabo performance indicators.

“Considering the agricultural risks of floods, droughts, fires, pests and diseases, cattle destruction of farms, rising insecurity in farms and kidnappings, both Federal and State governments should promote agricultural insurance for smallholder farmers, while addressing security issues that threatens lives and farms of farmers.

“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 should be utilised.

“The National Agricultural Development Fund (Establishment) Bill, 2019 proposed by the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development should be considered given the strategic importance of the sector.

“There is need to 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 ports documented, shared,and reviewed to enhance lessons learning and improvement in budget implementation.”

However, the communique lauded collaboration effort by the government, and described it as progressive improvement between Federal and State governments and the Non-State Actors towards promoting increased investment, transparency, and accountability in public financing of agriculture across the States.

“We commend the Nigerian government for making progress as the 3rdBR report indicated that 51 Member States reported but only one country which is Rwanda is on track, with 19 Member States including Nigeria classified as progressing well while 31 countries are not on track”, it pointed.

Meanwhile, in a goodwill message, the Chief Executive Officer, CEO, Nigerian Economic Summit Group, Laoye Jaiyeola, described the CAADP Biennial Review as powder keg of evidence about burning and urgent issues that need immediate attention to ameliorate the pangs and pounding hunger in the land.