Agric data management would make achievable SDG goals – Expert
The implementation of the National Agricultural Data Management Information System (NADMIS) would strengthen the data information system for policy, planning and tracking of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the agriculture sector.
This was expressed recently by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Ernest Umakhihe, in Abuja.
He stated this during the opening ceremony of the National Validation of Country Data Set for the 3rd Biennial Review Exercise on the Implementation of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme.
Represented by the Director, Federal Department of Agriculture, Mrs Karima Babaginda, Umakhihe said that preparations have reached an advanced stage for Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) to facilitate the second phase of the Global Strategy to Improve Agricultural and Rural Statistics in Nigeria.
According to him, the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) remains the initiative of the African Heads of States, adding that it was launched and adopted in 2003 in Maputo Mozambique, with a commitment to dedicating 10 percent of the annual national budget and ensuring 6 percent annual growth in the sector.
“An integral part of the CAADP’s implementation process is a continuous sector performance appraisal through the platforms of a national annual Joint Sector Review and a continental Biennial Review.
“In this regard, Nigeria’s average performances at the inaugural and second biennial review exercises were attributed to the issues of data gaps,” Umakhihe stated.
He also pointed out that Nigeria signed the CAADP Compact on 30th October 2009, prepared the first National Agricultural Investment Plan (NAIP I) 2011 – 2014 in December 2010 and established a CAADP Country Team Structure for implementation.
Similarly, the 2nd NAIP 2017-2020 was developed and implemented under the sector framework of the Agricultural Promotion Policy.
He urged the stakeholders at the forum to produce a credible and complete data set that would enable Nigeria to be on track in achieving the Commitments for the implementation of the Comprehensive Africa Agricultural Development Programme.
Also at the event was the Director of Planning and Policy Coordination at the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr Zubairu Abdullahi who was represented by the Deputy Director in the department, Mr. Ibrahim Tanimu.
“Nigeria had since 2003 been part of the conceptualization, adoption and implementation of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme [CAADP], initiated by the African Union under the New Partnership for Africa Development to increases public spending in agriculture, accelerate sector growth and track the entire process through robust data generation for a continental biennial performance review.
“To make Nigeria achieve a better result, state and non-state actors; synergy is highly required by harnessing all available data in the country. That is, we should focus this validation exercise on the policies, strategies and programmes that had been executed along with research development, value chain, financial inclusion and agribusiness undertakings to diversify the economy, create wealth for Nigerians and foster national development,’’ Abdullahi stated.
In his remarks, the CAADP Focal Point Officer in Nigeria, Mr. Mohammed Ibrahim, appealed to the Federal Government to increase the agricultural sector budgetary provision to meet 10 percent of the total annual national budget as recommended and adopted by the Africa Head of States in Maputo 2003.
source AGRONIGERIA
