BY Emmanuel Jason
Kano
As part of its activities to improve agricultural governance and service delivery in Northern Nigeria, Propcom+, a programme funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), has engaged stakeholders across northern States to strengthen advocacy for increased and more effective agricultural budgeting at the subnational level.
Speaking at a two-day training of actors for accountability platforms, Yunusa Hamza, Policy Facilitator (North) Propcom+ Foreign Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO) explained that the initiative seeks to empower farmers’ groups, civil society organisations (CSOs), women’s associations, 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 government constructively. Our aim is not to criticize for the sake of it, but to reference what government is already doing and advocate for more support where necessary”.
He emphasized that the budget after the constitution is the most powerful accountability tool, and therefore urged participants to understand its processes, structure, and implementation pathways.
Hamza noted that misallocation, mismanagement, and poor prioritization 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 of 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.
Yusuf Goje, Executive Director of the Civic Impact for Sustainable Development Foundation, stressed the importance of inclusive advocacy, particularly for increased investment in livestock development in Kaduna State.
“Agricultural spending must deliver value for money and target the needs of smallholder farmers. Balanced support for crop and livestock development, including private sector input sustainability, is essential”.
The training drew participants from the programme’s focal States of Kano, Katsina, Jigawa, Gombe, and Adamawa. marking another step in Propcom+’s efforts to foster climate-resilient agriculture and responsive agricultural policy frameworks across Northern Nigeria.
