Association Set To Implement Maputo Declaration On Agriculture

The National Association of Nigerian Traders (NANTS) says it
is putting in place measures to ensure full implementation of the requirements
of the Maputo Declaration on agriculture.

President of the association, Mr Ken Ukaoha, said this at a
one-day African Dialogue on Maputo Declaration on Agriculture in Abuja on
Wednesday.

The African Union Maputo Declaration was signed in 2003 by
the African Union Heads of State and Government to boost agriculture and food
security and also increase investment in the agriculture sector.

The declaration directed that all AU member countries
allocate at least 10 per cent of their country’s budgetary allocations to
agriculture.

According to the AU NEPAD programme, only eight African
countries have been able to fully implement the declaration.

The countries include Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea,
Malawi, Niger and Senegal.

In his address, Ukaoha noted that four years after 2008
declaration, budgetary allocation to agriculture in most African countries fell
below 10 per cent.

“What this shows is a possible game played by African
leaders with such commitments that have no sanctions and can, therefore, hold
no one liable.”

Ukaoha said that the non-implementation of the Maputo
Declaration by governments showed the failure of Africa to guarantee food
security and poverty reduction for the citizens.

Ukaoha noted that the meeting was aimed at reviewing the
commitment of Africa to food security in relation to the Maputo Declaration,
adding  that the meeting would see to the
reinforcement of the allocation of 10 per cent national budgets to agriculture
to enhance growth, poverty reduction and food security in Africa.

He said that the African Dialogue on the Maputo Declaration
would be an annual event where agriculture budgets of African countries would
be presented to check levels of compliance.

He also stated that the association would support the
Federal Government’s transformation agenda on food security and job creation in
Nigeria.

“It is very difficult for the Ministries  of Agriculture in Nigeria to canvass for
increased allocation, saying.  “It takes
a third party who understands what the issues are and who is also part of the
stakeholders in agriculture that would canvass for a need to increase
agriculture budget.

“If you look at the history of our allocations to
agriculture, allocation has been so abysmal; last year we did an analysis to
show that it was only two per cent of the total budget.

“For a government that speaks on a transformation agenda
more should be done; if the government claims that it wants to develop the
country through agriculture then more resources should be allocated to
agriculture.”