Edo to spend over ₦70bn on agric sector ín 2025 to boost food security

Determined to boost food production and suffiency, the Edo State Government has earmarked over ₦70 billion in 2025 the budget for the agric sector.

Nextnewsonline reports that the State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, had earlier proposed the sum of ₦40.5 billion for the sector, but was raised to over ₦70 billion by the State Legislators during consideration of the budget estimate.

A statement on Thursday by the CPS to the Governor, Fred Itua, noted that the budgeted sum was in line with Okpebholo’s commitment to address food insecurity and make Edo sufficient in food production.

The 2025 budget tagged, “Renewed Hope for a Rising Edo” is meant to revive the economy of Edo State and deliver the dividends of democracy, with special focus on agricultural revolution, food production and infrastructural development.

Okpebholo who recently assented to the bill, stressed that, as an administration that is people-centric and concerned about the acute food shortage currently ravaging the country, the 2025 budget was given a significant boost to address the agriculture and make the State food-sufficient.

“This significant allocation to the agriculture sector in the 2025 budget to address food sufficiency and agricultural revolution underscores Governor Okpebholo’s commitment to food security, and reaffirmed his earlier announced plans to engage in massive mechanized farming across the three senatorial districts of the State in early 2025.

“It is therefore expected that, with this significant amount allocated to the agricultural sector, and the proposed mechanized farming schedule to kick-start in early 2025, that Edo State will not only achieve food sufficiency, but also begin to export agricultural produce to neighbouring States in Nigeria,” Itua said.

Commenting on why the House decided to raise the budgeted sum for agric, the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Blessing Agbebaku, said the need to adequately combat food insecurity and create food sufficiency in the State, necessitated the upward review of Edo 2025 budget from the initial ₦605 billion to ₦675 billion.

Agbebaku noted that the country is currently experiencing acute shortfall in food production, a situation he said has seen astronomical rise in the prices of food production, and increased hardship among Nigerians.

He further stressed that the Legislative Arm is committed to partnering with the Governor in ensuring that Edo takes the lead in agricultural revolution and solving the current food challenges plaguing the country.

“We looked at the budget carefully, digested the content and decided, going by the current food insecurity in the country, to fund the agricultural sector to create food sufficiency in Edo State.

“So, the House agreed that the fund going to that sector be increased, and it was given a significant increase to ensure we achieve food sufficiency in Edo State.

“Your excellency, we are here to present the final approved budget that will scale you through this new year. The budget that will ensure infrastructure in all the constituencies in Edo State,” Agbebaku had said.