Participatory Development Alternatives (PDA), with support from ActionAid, has continued to advocate for increased allocation to agriculture. Over the years, PDA, in collaboration with the Budget Committee Group, has engaged and collaborated with the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, as well as the Ministry of Budget, Economic Planning, and Statistics, to achieve increased allocation to agriculture and proper implementation of allocated budgets.
Compared to the 2023 total allocation to agriculture, which stood at 2.7%, the 2024 agriculture budget covered 4.11% of the total agriculture budget. This is a significant improvement and shows a commendable increase in attention to the agriculture sector.
Apart from the increase made in the capital expenditure in the agriculture sector to the total agriculture budget, there is also a percentage increase of agriculture capital allocation to total capital expenditure, which now stands at 5.80%.
While this is quite commendable, there is still a need for the State government to bridge the gap that exists in agriculture financing. The increased allocation is a step in the right direction, but continuous efforts are necessary to ensure sustainable development in Ebonyi State’s agriculture sector.