By Pride Sakupwanya
The Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Agriculture, Lands, Fisheries and rural development has lamented the inadequate budget allocations towards Agricultural projects.
In analysis report for the 2023 national budget allocations to the Ministry, chairperson of the committee Gokwe Nembudziya legislator Justice Mayor Wadyajena said the programmes they were targeting will not be fully implemented.
“By comparing the Ministry’s allocation in relation with what they had asked for, it is quite evident that they got only about 30% of their request which would mean that the programmes they were targeting will not be fully executed.
“Considering these Programme areas as well as interventions that have been proposed under the budget to enhance Agriculture in general. While giving a high budget on paper can be regarded as indicative of priority but the main determinant factor is the extent to which resources would be quickly put to use, especially given that we are a high inflation environment,” said Wadyajena
He expressed worry over the 8% allotment which is below the regional and continental agricultural declarations
“The committee is therefore worried that the allocation of about 8% to agriculture is below the Maputo and Malabo Declarations. This is made worse by the fact that the ministry is very broad, with its mandate including other areas which might not be under the functions of the ‘agriculture’ ministries in other countries, for example, ‘water’, ‘fisheries’ and ‘rural development’ functions could be separate. This means that the allocated resources are not enough.
“The allocated resources for livestock production are not enough given the state of the national herd. The Committee recommends the increase of the resources to ensure the resuscitation and rehabilitation of dip tanks as well as the procurement of dipping chemicals to fight deadly livestock diseases” sais Wadyajena
