ActionAid Nigeria and other stakeholders have faulted the proposed N1.45 trillion allocation to the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAF) in the 2026 budget.

The stakeholders include the Smallscale Women Farmers Organisation in Nigeria (SWOFON), the Community of Agriculture Non-State Actors (COANSA), and Young Farmers in Nigeria (YoFiN).

They made their position known at a news conference in Abuja on Tuesday while presenting an analysis of the Federal Government’s proposed 2026 agriculture budget.

The conference reviewed funding priorities under the National Agrifood Systems Investment Plan (NASIP 2025–2027) and the National Agricultural Technology and Innovation Policy (NATIP 2022–2027).

It also reflected recommendations from the National Stakeholders Consultative Meeting on the 2026 agriculture budget.

The stakeholders recommended that the National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF) be granted first-line charge status and included as a statutory allocation to enable it to effectively fulfil its mandate.

The joint presentation was delivered by Wakilat Okeji of SWOFON, Gift Adamu of YoFiN, and Tosin Zuberu and Dr Gbenga Arokoyo of COANSA.

Okeji said the 2026 Appropriation Bill proposed N1.45 trillion for the FMAF, representing 2.48 per cent of the total proposed N58.47 trillion national budget.

She said that when combined with the allocation to the Ministry of Livestock Development, the agriculture sector’s share rises slightly to 2.59 per cent.

According to her, this represents a decline compared to 2025 when the agriculture sector accounted for 4.62 per cent of the federal budget.

“The reduction is reflected in overall planned expenditures to MDAs within NASIP and NATIP programme areas, whose total allocation declined by 15.26 per cent from N10.497 trillion in 2025 to N8.896 trillion in the 2026 proposal,” she said.

Arokoyo also recommended that the National Agricultural Development Fund be granted first-line charge status and included as a statutory allocation.

He said the fund’s current allocation of N94.14 billion, representing 99.46 per cent of its total budget, raises concerns about fiscal balance, sectoral equity, and strategic impact.

Arokoyo noted that N89.09 billion of the allocation is concentrated in a single project, the Renewed Hope Fertiliser Support Programme (RH-FSP).

“While fertiliser support is important, such disproportionate spending on one input risks undermining the broader Renewed Hope Agenda and fails to address structural constraints facing smallholder farmers,” he said.

He recommended reducing the allocation to the RH-FSP to N10 billion and redirecting the remaining funds to other critical areas with broader impact.

These include improving access to affordable credit, targeted support for women and youth farmers, scaling labour-saving technologies, expanding access to diverse farm inputs, and reducing post-harvest losses.

Other priority areas include investment in processing and storage facilities, farmer training programmes, improved market access, and strengthened agricultural extension services.

Arokoyo also called for increased investment in irrigation development and Climate Resilient Sustainable Agriculture (CRSA), also known as agroecology.

He noted that CRSA was essential for building resilience against climate shocks and ensuring long-term food security.

According to him, a more balanced and diversified investment strategy would strengthen accountability and maximise the developmental impact of the NADF.

Zuberu added that Nigeria might struggle to achieve food and nutrition security if funding is not properly prioritised and implemented promptly in key agricultural areas.

He listed priority areas to include extension services, credit access, support for women and youth farmers, irrigation development, labour-saving technologies, and climate-resilient agricultural practices.

The Amede Autonomous Community in Eha-Amufu, Enugu State, has commended the International Fund for Agricultural Development-Value Chain Development Programme (IFAD-VCDP) for improving the livelihoods of rural farmers.

The community made the commendation at a civic reception, held on Tuesday in honour of the Enugu State Programme Coordinator of IFAD-VCDP, Dr.

In a speech at the event, a member of the Organising Committee, Victor Odoabuchi, said the ceremony was a platform to express the community’s appreciation for IFAD-VCDP interventions.

Odoabuchi also said that the programme had brought meaningful development to the community and improved rural farmers’ welfare.

 “It is with great joy and deep appreciation that I stand before you today, on behalf of the good people of Amede, to welcome everyone to this reception in honour of Dr Edward Isiwu.

 “This gathering reflects our profound gratitude for the remarkable gesture and impactful intervention of the IFAD programme in our community.

“Today’s event is not merely a reception; it is a celebration of meaningful collaboration and the positive transformation that the programme has brought to Amede,” he said.

According to him, IFAD-VCDP commenced operations in Amede in 2021 through the support of Prof. Hillary Edeoga, with sensitisation and mobilisation of farmers, leading to the registration of active participants.

Odoabuchi listed several achievements of the programme in the community to include the construction of wells, establishment of a functional rice mill and development of 50 hectares of farmland for cultivation.

He said that the programme also constructed two culverts and a mini-bridge linking farming communities, thereby improving access to farmlands and neighbouring villages.

He further said that farmers had benefited from the distribution of agro-inputs, such as fertilisers, herbicides, improved seeds and equipment, including tricycles, water pumping machines, cassava processing machines, threshers and winnowers.

He said that IFAD-VCDP had also provided training programmes for farmers on Good Agricultural Practices, business plan development and nutrition-based cooking techniques.

A farmer in the community, Chief Matthias Edeh, acknowledged the programme’s positive impact but appealed for the repair of a damaged Onu-Uro culvert that was making movement difficult for farmers during the rainy season.

Edeh also called for additional support to fully equip the rice mill to enhance rice processing in the community.

Another farmer, James Ibeh, urged the programme to establish irrigation facilities to enable farmers to cultivate rice during the dry season.

Responding, Isiwu expressed appreciation for the honour bestowed on him and the programme by the community.

He described the gesture as a demonstration that IFAD-VCDP interventions were making meaningful impacts on rural communities.

“I feel so elated by this community.

“Many communities appreciate what we do, but this one decided to organise a special reception.

 “The people have shown us that the projects executed here are working and being put to good use,” he said.

Isiwu said that IFAD-VCDP had constructed a rice mill, mini-bridges, a market and an aggregation centre in the community, as well as developed 50 hectares of farmland.

He also said that the programme was exploring the introduction of mini-irrigation schemes to support dry-season rice farming in the area due to the availability of water bodies.

He told the community that some of their requests had already been captured in the programme’s annual work plan and budget and would be implemented as approved.

Isiwu said the programme remained committed to improving farmers’ productivity and sustaining livelihoods in rural communities across the state.

An livestock diagnostic expert, Femi Dairo, has urged local livestock farmers to adopt adequate diagnosis for their animals to prevent losses.

Dairo, the Chief Executive Officer of Rid Agri Ltd., and Business Head Rid Labs, made the call in an interview on Tuesday in Lagos.

He emphasised the need for livestock farmers to stop medicating their animals, while reiterating the importance of training for the farmers.

“Our message has been centred around decelerating antimicrobial resistance, reducing misuse and overuse of drugs, and promoting responsible farming practices.

“Farmers over the years have thought that diagnosis is a cost whereas diagnosis is a risk management strategy.

“Animals die every day from what they cannot control because we live with pathogens. This is because the business of animal farming is science and if you don’t understand the science of it you are going to fail.

“You must understand what losses mean and when it stops. So, our message to the farmers is that they need to please understand the science and business of farming.

“The completion of the two is what will guarantee the profitability of the business,” Dairo said.

According to the expert, farmers’ experiences are not enough to tackle the challenges of microbial resistance in animals.

He, however, stressed the need to engage professionals.

“This is because most farmers are non-professionals, more than 90 per cent lack a form of professional training. The business requires some level of technical guidance and training.

“The farmers may not be able to afford having a resident vet doctor or resident aquaculture professional on their farms but they can deploy the services of people who have a diagnosis as a backup.

“We still have veterinary doctors who prescribe drugs without diagnosis. They do that from experience. But pathogens are learning very fast how to stop drugs from working.

“The question is, are we learning as fast as the pathogens are learning. Without diagnosis, we would not be able to do that.

“The only tool we have is to diagnose before treatment. And that way you can attack whatever case it is per time. So, there is no one-size-fits-all treatment for each case you find yourself,” the expert said.