The East African Legislative Assembly has once again reiterated the \nneed to implement the Malabo Declaration as a means to ensuring food \nsecurity and transformation of the agricultural sector among the member \nstates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A report from of the Committee on Agriculture, Tourism and Natural \nResources on Budgetary Enhancement in the Agricultural Sector presented \nto the House by the Committee Chairperson Mathias Kasamba recently, \nstates that despite its potential towards fighting poverty among the \nregional states, the agriculture sector has been growing slowly over the\n years and continues to attract limited funding from governments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kasamba said the sector\u2019s funding is still below the continental \nbenchmark of 10%. This he said has negatively impacted the sector and is\n a big obstacle in attracting the youth to participate in the sector.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
African Leaders, in 2013, adopted a Comprehensive Africa Agricultural\n Development Programme (CAADP) known as the Maputo Declaration 2003. \nThey agreed that all governments should at least allocate 10% of their \nnational budget to the agriculture sector but very have implemented it \nyet Agriculture sector is key in contributing to the gross domestic \nproduct.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Engineer Habib Mnyaa called on the Assembly to collaborate more \nclosely with the relevant committees in the national Parliaments to \nallow for the push of enhanced budgets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Amb Fatuma Ndangiza noted that agricultural sector is crucial in the economies of the partner states and the region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAgriculture remains to be critical in all the EAC partner states \nwith 70-72% of the citizens in the region depending on the Agriculture \nSector,\u201d the legislator said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Pierre Celestin Rwigema informed the House of the necessity to secure\n ready market for farmers\u2019 produce within the region. Furthermore, the \nlegislator reiterated improved infrastructure would allow for smooth \nmovement of the agricultural produce.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Why Agriculture sector needs enough resources <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The agriculture Sector is a major contributor to the Gross Domestic \nProduct (GDP) in the East African region, accounting for 31.3% in Kenya,\n Uganda (25%), Burundi (34.2%), Tanzania (30%), Rwanda (33%) and South \nSudan (34.5%).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Recently, various farmers Organization from the East African \nCommunity member states presented their views to the regional Assembly \nwhere they demanded budget increment for the sector.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hakim Baliraine, the Chairperson of the Eastern and Southern Africa \nsmall holder farmers forum (EASFF Uganda chapter), told East African \nBusiness Week that poor funding affects technological transfer between \nfarmers and researchers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe agriculture sector is currently facing with the challenges \nassociated with climate change, many farmers have lost their Livestock\u2019s\n due to drought but if government had allo9ocated enough resources , \nthe sector ministry could use part of the financial resources to \nconstruct water dams such that there\u2019s availability of water during the\n dry seasons,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He added that limited resources means government cannot recruit \nenough agricultural extension services providers yet such professionals \nplay a big role in the sector.<\/p>\n\n\n\n