Group Demands Increase In Agricultural Budget

A group in Ebonyi State, “Agric Budget Plus Cluster”, has demanded general increase in gricultural practice and increase in its output to reduce hunger, poverty, malnutrition and deaths from 2.3% to 5%.
The group made the demands in Abakaliki recently during a campaign for an increase in the agric budget.
The group marched some major roads in the capital city while canvassing for the increase.
They also marched to old government house where they were addressed by the Deputy Chief of Staff, Francis Nwifuru, and Chief Timothy Nwachi.
Addressing the Deputy Chief of Staff who received them at the old government house, the Cluster Lead Person for Ebonyi State, Nancy Oko- Onya said, “The Agric budget Plus Cluster is the process  we are taking to ask the government of the three states that are benefiting from the project to increase the Agric budget of their  different States.
“But, specifically in Ebonyi, we are asking the State Government to increase the Agric budget of the State from 2.3% to 5%,  meaning an additional 2.7%.
“We are asking for this to increase Agriculture, to increase the practice, to increase the output, to reduce hunger, poverty, malnutrition and deaths in the State.
“We are engaging with several stakeholders to also lend their voices to this. We have met the commodity groups, we have met with students, we have met with women’s organisations, we have also met with government stakeholders asking for the same thing.
“Ebonyi has been known for farming; yam, cassava and rice, and Abakaliki Rice is known nationwide. So, all we are asking is to let government increase the budget on Agriculture to 5%. What the state has as budget is 2.3% and we are asking for an additional 2.7%.
“What we are doing here is happening in Imo and Abia States, and they are asking for the increase in Agric budget.
“We need to study Agriculture, we need to practice Agriculture . The state has a lot of farms which are given out for cultivation. So, by 2024, we want an increase in the state budget on Agriculture”.
Receiving the group, the Deputy Chief of Staff commended them for the move for increase in Agric budget.
He said the state will do everything humanly possible to ensure that Agric sector in the state gets necessary support.