Nigeria: Stakeholders Demand 10 Percent Agric Budget, Warn Food Insecurity

Stakeholders at a three-day national consultative meeting on the 2026 agriculture budget have called on the Federal Government to raise the sector's budgetary allocation to at least 10 percent of national expenditure, in line with the Maputo and Malabo declarations.

They also urged for timely releases and structural reforms to strengthen Nigeria's food systems and mitigate worsening food insecurity.

The meeting, held in Lagos from July 15 to 17, 2025, was convened by ActionAid Nigeria in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning (FMBEP), the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAFS), GIZ Global Programme AgSys Nigeria, the Community of Agricultural Non-State Actors (COANSA), and the ECOWAS Commission.

A total of 139 participants--including federal and state legislators, ministry officials, donor agencies, researchers, farmers' groups, and civil society actors--deliberated on how the 2026 agriculture budget can drive food systems transformation, economic inclusion, and climate resilience.

Stakeholders raised concerns over insecurity in food-producing regions, land degradation, erratic funding, and rising input costs. They also expressed alarm over projections that 30.6 million Nigerians may face acute food and nutrition insecurity between June and August 2025.

Country Director of ActionAid Nigeria, Andrew Mamedu, said the time had come for agriculture to move from "mere political rhetoric" to a development priority.

"We are demanding a bold, inclusive and consistent commitment to agriculture financing. Allocating at least 10 percent of the national budget is not a favour; it is a continental obligation Nigeria signed up to. Anything less undermines our food sovereignty," he said.

Also speaking, Mr. Olaifa Fatai, Deputy Director for Economic Growth Development at the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, stressed the need for a strategic, multi-sectoral approach.

"Agriculture is the foundation of our economy and livelihood. What this meeting shows is that budgetary planning must reflect the urgency of the food crisis, climate realities, and the inclusive participation of youth, women and vulnerable groups," he said.

Director of Land Use and Conservation at the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Mr. Bello Mohammed, called for stronger institutional collaboration and localised interventions.

Read the original article on Daily Trust.