As preparations for the 2026 budgets begin, agricultural expert Dr. Philips Nto has urged the Federal Government to increase allocations to agriculture in order to boost food security and strengthen the economy.
Dr. Nto, who is Director of the Agribusiness Incubation Centre at Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, made the call while conducting journalists around the centre’s pilot farms. He said sustained investment in the sector would lead to improved yields, value addition, and better livelihoods for farmers.
“Now that Nigeria’s revenue is on the increase, more funds should be invested in agriculture and agribusiness to secure our tomorrow,” he said.
The former Abia State Commissioner for Finance and Economic Development stressed that higher budgetary allocations should focus on value addition to curb post-harvest losses. He also called for targeted subsidies to genuine farmers and the revival of agricultural extension services to enhance training for rural farmers.
“Agriculture is an evolving sector that requires continuous training. Reviving extension services will help farmers adopt new techniques for higher productivity. Agribusiness Incubation Centres across universities can easily drive this initiative,” he noted.
Dr. Nto also advocated the establishment of industrial agro-hubs in all 774 local government areas, designed around crops suited to each location. According to him, such hubs should be jointly funded by the three tiers of government to guarantee sustainable food production.
“This multi-level collaboration will give government firsthand knowledge of agribusiness models relevant to local farmers,” he said.
While commending the federal government’s tax reforms, Dr. Nto expressed hope that revenue from the new laws would be channeled into agriculture, especially in setting up the proposed agro-industrial hubs.