A programme, Propcom+, funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), has engaged stakeholders in northern states to strengthen advocacy for increased and more effective agricultural budgeting at the subnational level.
At a two-day training held in Kano, Yunusa Hamza, policy facilitator (North), Propcom+ FCDO explained that the initiative seeks to empower farmers’ groups, civil society organisations (CSOs), women’s associations, media and persons with disabilities to constructively engage government authorities on agriculture budget planning and implementation.
He stressed the need for stronger citizen engagement and civil society participation in agricultural budgeting processes to drive transparency, improve service delivery, and boost inclusive development in Nigeria’s Northern states.
Hamza noted that agricultural allocations remain grossly inadequate, urging stakeholders to leverage evidence-based advocacy to push for improved investments.
“We are looking forward to a situation where civil society actors can have a stronger voice in engaging the government constructively. Our aim is not to criticise for the sake of it, but to reference what government is already doing and advocate for more support where necessary.”
He emphasised that the budget is the most powerful accountability tool after the constitution and urged participants to understand its processes, structure, and implementation pathways.
Hamza noted that misallocation, mismanagement, and poor prioritisation of agriculture funds have hampered efficient service delivery, calling for deeper involvement of stakeholders, including agribusinesses, agro-allied platforms, and CSOs, in the monitoring and tracking agricultural budget implementation.
He further explained that the initiative also aimed at establishing Propcom+’s position in relation to government agricultural service delivery, strengthening market-enabling platforms to support policy implementation and climate-resilient agriculture.
“Facilitating partnerships between state actors, LGAs, the private sector, and civil society. Providing a roadmap for policy, planning, and budget advocacy. Promoting informal practices and norms that improve agricultural market systems and transparency”.
During the training, participants critically examined their respective state agriculture and livestock budgets, focusing on both allocations and actual releases.
They also highlighted key gaps and pinpointed advocacy priorities, while mapping out relevant stakeholders to ensure more effective budget implementation at the state level.
The executive director of Civic Impact for Sustainable Development Foundation, Yusuf Goje, highlighted the need for inclusive advocacy to ensure adequate budgetary allocations and timely releases, stressing that public agricultural investments must deliver value for money and directly benefit intended beneficiaries, particularly smallholder farmers.
Focusing on Kaduna State, Goje revealed that his organisation will prioritise advocacy for increased investment in livestock development, an area often overlooked in favour of crop farming.
He underscored the need for balanced support that considers both government interventions and private sector sustainability, especially in the supply of agricultural inputs.
The training brought together stakeholders from the programme’s focal states of Kano, Katsina, Jigawa, Gombe, and Adamawa.
