Reps worry over food scarcity, rising prices despite various interventions

The House of Representatives on Tuesday flagged off the investigation into the utilisation of government interventions and agricultural funding by various Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) from 2017 to 2024.

Chairman, House Committee on Nutrition and Food Security, Hon. Chike Okafor who spoke during the opening of the hearing in Abuja, assured all the stakeholders that the investigative hearing “is not a witch-hunt.

The scope of the investigative hearing include various intervention funds provided by: Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Bank of Industry (BoI), National Agricultural Development Fund, Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service, Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria, National Agricultural Land Development Authority, NIRSAL Micro-finance Bank, Fertilizers Producers and Suppliers Association of Nigeria, Nigeria Incentive-based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending PLC, Bank of Agriculture (BoA), National Agricultural Seed Council (NASC), among others.

He said: “Our purpose is not to target individuals or institutions but to uncover the truth, identify systemic failures, and ensure that public funds allocated for agricultural development are utilized transparently and effectively.

“The unfortunate reality today is that despite huge sums of money budgeted and disbursed over the years for agricultural programs,

Nigeria continues to grapple with food scarcity, rising food prices, and malnutrition.

“If these funds had been judiciously spent, we would not be facing the current crisis where millions of Nigerians struggle to afford basic meals.”

According to him, the House resolution, was to “thoroughly investigate government agencies/schemes concerned in the issue, which includes Central Bank of Nigeria, Nigeria Incentive-Based Risks Sharing for Agricultural Lending, Bank of Industry, Bank of Agriculture, National Agricultural Development Fund, and indeed other concerned organisations/schemes.

As contained in the motion, the House is interested to know the following: How Central Bank of Nigeria, through the Anchor Borrowers Program (ABP) disbursed about N1.12 trillion to 4.67 million farmers involved in either maize, rice or wheat farming through 563 anchors.

“How Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL) disbursed ₦215,066,980,274.50 so far to facilitate agriculture and agrobusinesses.

“How Bank of Industry disbursed ₦3 billion to 22,120 small holder farmers through the Agriculture Value Chain Financing (AVCF) programme. Additionally, the bank funded 49 agro and food processing businesses with ₦59.4 billion in loans.

“In 2023, the Federal Government unveiled a N5 billion loan facility to the Bank of Agriculture for Livestock farmers across the country.

“National Agricultural Development Fund in March, 2024 inaugurated a ₦1.6 billion Recovery Fund for the Ginger Blight Epidemics Central Task Force (GBECT) for the control of blight disease in Ginger and indeed other interventions and programmes done by relevant Agencies for agricultural development and food security.

“One of the key oversight mandates of the Committee is to ensure proper implementation of intervention programmes by relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies of government related to food security and nutrition. Investigations, monitoring of resource allocation, advancement of new laws and strengthening of existing ones, among others, on matters relating to nutrition and food security, are comprehensively contained in the Committee’s jurisdiction, as captured in the Standing Order of the House, Order 20 B, No. 98 (2) a – l,” he noted.

To this end, the Committee tasked all the relevant stakeholders to provide the “legislation and or statuses authorizing/mandating your Bank in its responsibilities; Proof of Fund received by the Bank from the Federal government, other agencies or intervention schemes; Name, addresses and contact persons of relevant donor partners collaborating with your Bank.

They are also mandated to provide: “Name, addresses, and contact details of anchors who disbursed funds for the Anchor Borrowers Program (ABP) to millions of farmers involved in either maize, rice or wheat farming; Other agricultural related loans disbursed within the period under review; The list of beneficiaries according to states and geopolitical zones; Terms and conditions of the loans, including recovery plan, where necessary; Performance of the Bank in achieving food security and nutrition; Key food security activities/programmes including projects undertaken or ongoing either separately or in collaboration with other partners (indicate Date, Venue/location, beneficiaries and possible cost implication etc); Projected activities, programmes and projects for the 2025 fiscal year (indicate date, Venue/location, Sources of Funding and Cost estimate), in relations to enhancing food security and nutrition.

While stressing the need for the cooperation of all the stakeholders, he solicited for “full cooperation, honest disclosures, and actionable recommendations. Accountability is not an option; it is a necessity. The Nigerian people deserve to know how their resources are being used, and this Committee is committed to ensuring that every kobo allocated to agriculture serves its intended purpose.”

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