From Mika’il Tsoho, Dutse
A non-governmental organization, Propcom+, funded by the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), has set a target to support 3.79 million Nigerians by 2030 through sustainable agricultural development.
The program aims to increase productivity, enhance resilience to climate change, promote lower emissions, and improve access to nutritious diets.
Comrade Hamza Yunusa, Propcom+ Policy Facilitator for the North (Kano, Kaduna, and Jigawa), disclosed this during an interactive session with agriculture stakeholders on budget process, allocation, release, and implementation in Kano.
According to Yunusa, Propcom+ is an International Climate Finance (ICF) program designed to transform Nigeria’s rural economy by addressing environmental, social, and economic challenges in the food and land-use system.
The program will achieve its target through three broad pillars: scaling up climate-smart business models, building and scaling transformational innovations, and facilitating policy and regulatory changes.
Yunusa emphasized the need for stronger citizen engagement and civil society participation in agricultural budgeting processes to drive transparency and inclusive development.
The Policy Facilitator noted that agricultural allocations in Nigeria remain inadequate and urged stakeholders to leverage evidence-based advocacy to push for improved investments.
He expressed hope that civil society actors would constructively engage the government, referencing existing initiatives and advocating for more support where necessary.
“By empowering farmers’ groups, civil society organizations, women’s associations, media, and persons with disabilities, Propcom+ aims to promote meaningful changes in policy and regulation, ultimately enhancing the welfare of millions of Nigerians,” he concluded.
