Bauchi women farmers decry low budgetary allocation to agriculture

The Bauchi State Budget Committee Group (BCG) has expressed concern over the inadequate funding of the agricultural sector in the state’s 2025 budget.

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The committee chairperson, Tabawa Atiku, stated this at a news conference on Monday in Bauchi.

The news conference was organised in collaboration between the BCG, Fahimta Women and Youth Development Initiative (FAWOYDI), Smallholder Women Farmers Network (SHOWFAN), Small Scale Women Farmers Organisation in Nigeria (SWOFON), and ActionAid Nigeria.

Mrs Atiku said the committee’s budget analysis revealed that only 1.6 per cent of the approved N465.9 billion budget had been allocated to agriculture in the state.

She said the budget was lower than the 10 per cent commitment under the Malabo Declaration of 2014.

“With a mere N7.64 billion assigned to the sector, stakeholders warn that this gap undermines efforts to combat food insecurity, poverty and malnutrition, especially among smallholder women farmers who contribute over 60 per cent of the state’s food supply.

“Despite being the backbone of the state’s food system, smallholder women farmers continue to face challenges such as limited access to credit, skyrocketing input costs, lack of storage and processing facilities, and severe post-harvest losses due to inadequate infrastructure and support.

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“Natural disasters like flooding coupled with the rising cost of agricultural inputs such as fertilisers and seeds have compounded the plight of these farmers, who often rely on outdated tools like hoes and animal-driven equipment, drastically reducing productivity,” she said.

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Dinah Daniel, Executive Director of FAWOYDI, said the budget analysis indicated that only 18 per cent of women farmers have access to processing facilities.

Se stressed the need for the state government to create a budget line for smallholder women farmers to enhance their access to extension services, credit facilities and post-harvest infrastructure.

She urged the state government to allocate 10 per cent of its budget to agriculture and invest in irrigation and climate-resilient, sustainable agriculture to mitigate climate change.

“Without substantial investment in women-led agriculture and rural infrastructure, food crisis may worsen in Bauchi,” she said.

(NAN)