The House of Representatives Committee on Agriculture says it is discussing with the leadership of the house to increase allocation to the agriculture sector.
Chairman of the committee Mohammed Monguno (ANPP-Borno) said in Abuja on Wednesday that the N78 billion allocated to the sector was “meager” when compared to the N921 billion allocated to security.
Monguno said that the 2.7 per cent allocated to agriculture did not match government’s campaign to transform the sector.
He said, “We are right now engaging the leadership of the house to shore up the budget of the agriculture sector based on the yearnings of Nigerians.
“The snag is that there is no corresponding monetary allocation that will boost the agriculture sector.”
President Goodluck Jonathan on Dec. 13, presented a budget of N4.7 trillion to the National Assembly.
“In the 2010 budget, agriculture got three per cent, but in the 2012, it was 2.7 per cent,’’ he said.
“To our dismay when the 2012 budget was presented, a dismal 2.7 per cent was allocated to agriculture compared to the N921 billion to security.
“The allocation of N78 billion to the agriculture sector is nothing to write home about and it must be addressed,” he said.
He lawmaker said that if agriculture was given the desired attention, it could be a major source of employment and revenue earner for the country.
“If agriculture is properly harnessed, it will be a major source of employment for our teeming youths,’’ he said.
The lawmaker said that the fiscal policies in respect of the sector were healthy, since it would encourage local production.
However, he explained that the environment was not yet conducive enough for the complete ban on some food items.
Jonathan in his budget speech said that there would be a levy of 25 per cent on brown rice to bring it to 30 per cent.
He also said that to encourage domestic rice production, a levy of 40 per cent would be placed on imported polished rice leading to an effective duty rate of 50 per cent.
“Effective Dec. 31, 2012, all rice millers should move towards domestic production and milling of rice, as the levy of 50 per cent will be further raised to 100 per cent,” Monguno said.