Lack of Adequate Budgetary Allocation to Agriculture Cause of Poverty in Africa – IITA DG
The Director-General of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Dr Nteranya Sanginga, has said inadequate budgetary allocations for agricultural development by most African governments are the reason there is hunger in the continent.
According to him, the only way African countries can attain food sufficiency is through adequate budgetary allocation to agriculture.
Speaking at a media briefing in Ibadan, Oyo State, Sanginga stressed that if adequate attention is not given to agriculture by African leaders, it might be difficult to attain food sufficiency in the continent.
He said, “In Africa, you hear every head of state say agriculture is a priority but when you go to the budget, agriculture is the least of the budget. African leaders are not serious about agriculture at all.
“I’d say almost 90 percent of the countries in Africa still consider agriculture as a social activity, so they are waiting for donors, foreigners to finance agriculture with grants. You can never be serious with that.”
Sanginga, therefore, called on African leaders to start viewing agriculture as a business rather than a social activity.
source agronigeria
source agronigeria
