‘Capture data so to be allocated 10% of the National Budget to agriculture’
THE currently ongoing three-day workshop on the National Knowledge Management and Monitoring Malabo commitments is proving helpful to local stakeholders.
Centre for Coordination of Agricultural Research and Development for Southern Africa (CCARDESA) Consultant Martin Mucheru advised Eswatini, to capture their data well and consistently so they can prove to the government on why they deserve the allocation of 10% from the national budget.
The Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Program (CAADP) and member of states have called for strict adherence to the 10 percent budget for agriculture by the government.
The non-state actors’ coalition, comprising farmers, producer organisations, agribusiness owners, civil society organisations, and the media, said the government’s adherence to the 10 percent budget for agriculture will reduce unemployment and solve the problem of food insecurity.
According to Mcheru if Eswatini captured their data well, from projects done, farmers equipped and other farming activities they will remain resolute or committed to engaging the government to see reason to prioritise the 10 percent public funding for the agricultural sector.
The members and local stakeholders raised the concern at the start of a three-day meeting that aims to create awareness about the CAADP Malabo processes.
“The CAADP calls for every African government to allot 10 percent of its total national budget annually for agriculture in order to reduce poverty, create jobs, and to improve food security in members’ countries,” said Macheru.
In addition, he said Accordingly, if 10 percent of the total national budget is allotted for agriculture annually it means that the sector will experience 6 percent GDP for the country.
“The recommitment of the framework led to the setting up of targets, along with seven commitments based on what African leaders referred to as a commitment to implementation, delivery and results that requires the review of countries performance after every two years,” he said.
He further said Eswatini, like many other African countries, is reported to be progressing poorly in some of the Malabo Commitments.
One of the participants in the workshop said it was unfortunate that Liberia is yet to live up to the commitment for agriculture to develop the country.
“This is why we are here to discuss the CAADP which is designed to take the citizens out of poverty. We need to use agriculture to improve the lives of the citizens. The nonstate actors must hold the authorities for the CAADP,” he said.