East Africa’s small scale farmers have petitioned authorities for increased agricultural sector funding.
The agro-entrepreneurs believe the increased financing will ensure food security and reduce poverty.
“EAC region is doing quite well but has fallen short on budgetary allocation in the agricultural sector to reach 10 per cent target,”
said Alfayo Kurunah, a member of the farmers’ lobby.
Kurunah, a farmer from Kenya and board member for the body, said they would press for a high level regional meeting to deliberate on agricultural development.
African Union (AU) leaders during the annual summit in Maputo in 2003 committed to a 10 per cent public spending on agriculture.
It was galvanised under the Malabo Declaration in another continental summit held in Equatorial Guinea in 2014.
Meanwhile AU meeting slated for November/December will assess progress made in the implementation of the Malabo Declaration.
The declaration aims to accelerate agricultural growth and transformation that would in Africa.
It calls for commitment to ending hunger in the continent by 2025, doubling productivity while focusing on inputs, irrigation and mechanisation.
The declaration further anticipates commitment towards enhancing resilience in livelihoods and production systems to boosting intra-African trade in agricultural commodities.
Further envisaged is a commitment to halve poverty as well as strengthen inclusive public private partnerships (PPP) on agricultural commodity value chains.
