Editorial- Food productivity and budget delay

 Food productivity 

The issue of budget delay in our economic activities in the country is gradually becoming part of our culture without carefully looking at its imperative disadvantages to our economy and growth especially in food productivity.

It is no exaggeration to say that the negative impact of delayed budget is taking its tolls on agricultural activities and invariably on food security of our country as most of the activities that are tied to the budget are lying on the shelves waiting for fund to activate.

Agriculture is one sector of the economy that needs planning and preparation with cash back so as to achieve timeliness result in clearing, planting, weeding, inputs applications, harvest and even further processing for preservation or preparation into other derivatives.

We thought that experience of the last year that resulted to delay of many agricultural activities down to research Institutes of which the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) Chief AuduOgbeh was very apologetic about at the meeting with researchers at Institute of Agricultural Research (IAR), Zaria last year will have a positive impact in the year budget release and performance for this year.

It is saddening that this year’s own (2018) has already taken the path that may not help to boost food productivity as the budget is just being passed less than 179 days to go in the year, considering the preparation for the 2019 presidential election which its momentum is gradually building.

This issue of budget delay to our mind is more of manmade unlike climate change challenges or natural disaster that may not be totally pre-determined so to say. Considering the timeliness that agricultural activities require, there is need to look for alternative ways of meeting this requirement for food productivity that will ensure food security to Nigerians, noting that countless of activities towards achieving economic diversification of the present administration from crude oil tonon-oil sector of agriculture are in the waiting for cash back.

We are of the view that the time has come when all three tiers of the government must have alternative options for budget performance for the sector’s activeness so as to able to overcome the challenges associated with budget delay in the system.

This brings to mind the issue of Agricultural Intervention Fund that is almost getting to conclusion that was never achieved during the period of former President Olusegun Obasanjo. We see no reason why a proposal of this nature talking about special fund for agricultural performance would hit the rock just like that. Well, we are of the view it is never too late for the executive bill to be revisited justfor the progress of this nation in terms of food security and checkmating of foods importation that is depleting our foreign reserves.