Eala wants partner states to raise agriculture budget

Members of the East African Legislative Assembly participate in the proceedings of the second meeting of the fifth session of the third Assembly with a call to re-double efforts towards improving agriculture sector. The regional body met in Zanzibar. PHOTO | EALA

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The increase in budgetary allocations in the sector is in line with the Malabo Declaration and the Assembly says the target, which is pegged at least 10 per cent, needs to be met annually.

Dar es Salaam. The East African Legislative Assembly (Eala) on Wednesday called for more budgetary allocation in the agricultural sector in partner states and to ensure legal and regulatory frameworks are responsive to the needs of the smallholder farmers, youth and women.

The increase in budgetary allocations in the sector is in line with the Malabo Declaration and the Assembly says the target, which is pegged at least 10 per cent, needs to be met annually.

The legislators also urged EAC Secretariat to institutionalise a Regional Agriculture Advisory Council to advice on the harmonisation of the regional agriculture policy frameworks and programmes.

Such a Council, Eala members noted, could comprise of EAC/Eala Secretariat and representatives from partner states, academia, regional farmer organisations, civil society and consumers.

At the same time, partner states need to increase the quality of investments by addressing national priorities connected with farmers while addressing existing challenges.

Consequently, increase in the absorption rate in the agriculture sector with a correlation between budget allocation, agriculture returns and sectoral growth targets is absolutely necessary.

The recommendations are contained in a report arising from the Agriculture Budget Summit, 2016 held in Arusha on June 4. The meeting, then, opened by Eala member Chris Opoka and themed “Increasing Public investment in Agriculture towards Ending Hunger and Poverty by 2025 in the EAC” was organised to support the implementation of the Malabo Declaration (2014-2025).

The meeting, among other things, will increase public awareness on the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) Results framework and importance of public financing of agriculture that supports smallholders as catalyst for improved private sector investment.

It further wanted to enhance civil society organisations, small scale farmers’ involvement in agriculture financing policy processes for improved public financing for agriculture at national and the East African Community level.

The Summit was attended by Eala members from the Committee on Agriculture, Tourism and Natural Resources, Committee chairpersons from partner states’ national parliaments and CAADP Focal points from EAC Partner States.

Other partners were from various organisations such as Trust Africa, ActionAid International, Agriculture Non-State Actors Forum (Ansaf) and the Coalition of Non-State Actors on CAADP amongst others.