ActionAid, farmers’ group seek increased funding, investment in agriculture
ActionAid Nigeria, alongside the Community of Agriculture Non-State Actors (COANSA), the Small-Scale Women Farmers Organisation in Nigeria (SWOFON), and Young Farmers in Nigeria (YoFiN), has urged the Federal Government to
ActionAid Nigeria, alongside the Community of Agriculture Non-State Actors (COANSA), the Small-Scale Women Farmers Organisation in Nigeria (SWOFON), and Young Farmers in Nigeria (YoFiN), has urged the Federal Government to boost funding for the agricultural sector and prioritise investments in extension services, irrigation systems, research and development, post-harvest management, climate-smart agriculture, and affordable credit for farmers.
The organisations made the call during a press conference in Abuja yesterday, where representatives of the civil society and farmers’ groups analysed the 2026 budget proposal.
They noted that the 2026 Appropriation Bill earmarks N1.45 trillion for the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security out of the total N58.47 trillion national budget, representing 2.48 per cent of overall government expenditure.
According to the groups, the relatively low allocation raises concerns about the sector’s capacity to drive economic growth and address the country’s deepening food insecurity challenges.
They also emphasised the need for more effective implementation of constituency projects within the agriculture sector, stressing that such initiatives must align with national food security priorities.
The organisations maintained that well-structured investments in agriculture could significantly increase productivity, generate employment, stabilise food supply, and support Nigeria’s broader economic recovery efforts.
They further highlighted the importance of directing investments towards women and young people in agriculture, as well as promoting labour-saving technologies and improving farmers’ access to markets.
In addition, the groups expressed concern over a broader reduction in planned funding for key agriculture programmes.
Their analysis showed that allocations to programmes under the National Agrifood Systems Investment Plan (NASIP) and the National Agricultural Technology and Innovation Policy (NATIP) declined by 15.26 per cent, falling from N10.497 trillion in 2025 to N8.896 trillion in the proposed 2026 budget.
The organisations warned that insufficient funding and delays in the release of agriculture funds could undermine the country’s economic growth targets.
"The Federal Government has projected Nigeria’s economy to expand by 4.7 per cent in 2026 and 6 per cent in 2027, with agriculture expected to play a key role through increased food production and job creation."
However, the groups cautioned that the sector’s contribution could remain limited if the funding gaps are not addressed.
“Very little release to the agriculture sector in 2025 is already hampering expected growth, while untimely release of funds and poor funding of the agriculture sector in 2026 will further worsen Nigeria’s food and nutrition insecurity situation,” they warned.
They also criticised the inclusion of projects in the agriculture budget that appear unrelated to core farming and food system activities.
According to the groups, some research institutes listed projects involving the distribution of farm inputs to farmers in states outside their operational mandates, a situation they described as impractical and lacking transparency.
They cited an example of a research institute based in Niger State budgeting to distribute farm inputs to farmers in Rivers State.
“This raises serious concerns about coordination, transparency, and effective delivery,” the groups said, calling for such projects to be redesigned or relocated to improve accountability.
Furthermore, the organisations recommended that agricultural interventions currently implemented by ministries and agencies without agriculture-related mandates should be transferred to the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security or the Ministry of Livestock Development to ensure better coordination.
To strengthen funding mechanisms, the groups also proposed that the National Agricultural Development Fund be granted first-line charge status, similar to the statutory allocations provided to the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) and the Basic Health Care Provision Fund.
They explained that this would ensure more reliable funding flows and allow the fund to effectively support agricultural transformation.
The organisations stressed that Nigeria may struggle to achieve sustainable food and nutrition security unless agricultural financing is properly targeted and funds are released promptly.
“Fragmented, delayed or poorly prioritised funding will continue to weaken productivity, limit resilience and exacerbate hunger and malnutrition across the country,” the organisations said.
