The Senate last week stated that the N4 billion being proposed for low interest credits and subsidies for fertilizer is unacceptable and will do something to improve on it.

Senator Tawar Umbi Wada, chairman Senate Committee on Agriculture and Water Resources declared this at the one day symposium organised by the Specialised Committee on Agriculture of the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) at the Nigerian Education Research and Development Council, Lagos.

According to him, the budgetary patronage of the federal and state governments to this important sector have been abysmally low, saying that in 2006 and 2007 agriculture represented 2.8 per cent and 2.7 per cent of the capital allocation respectively.

He said, "In the 2008 budget which is now been considered by the Senate, a total of N89.98 billion has been earmarked for Agriculture and Water Resources. Of interest here is that out of the sum, only N4 billion is being proposed for low credits and subsides for fertilizer and this is unacceptable.

Sen. Wada blamed the problem of agriculture on inadequate attention to the sector in the past by successive administration, even though more than 70 per cent of the population is involved in agriculture adding that that this has made the country a major food importer.

He noted that agricultural productivity could be enhanced through a legal framework based on best practices, adding that in formulating such appropriate legal framework for increased agricultural productivity, the views of the Civil Society, the organised farmers, the academia, the government, associations such as NACCIMA and all major stakeholder must be seriously considered.

He stressed that the current Senate Committee on Agriculture, is on a mission to create an enabling environment through enactment of laws and policies, that will ensure positive transformation of Nigeria's social and economic conditions, saying that the Senate has resolved to bring back agriculture on the driving seat of our collective journey to economic prosperity.