By Ahmed Ahmed
A Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), a non governmental organisation and partners has advocated sound legislations to demystify extension services to encourage agricultural productivity in Bauchi State.
CISLAC is spearheading a campaign in concert with OXFAM, to fast track implementation of agricultural extension services in the state.
The Team Lead, Munachi Ugochukwu made the call during an advocacy visit to the Speaker, Bauchi House of Assembly, Abubakar Sulaiman, on Thursday in Bauchi.
He said the organization advocated towards promoting fairer and resilient food systems to improve the livelihood of women and men small-scale producers in Bauchi and Gombe states.
“Our visit is premise on the above and specifically seeks to gain your support towards advancing deliberation and expected outcome from earlier engagements.
“The legislative actions for budgetary allocations for the integration of Bauchi State extension service trainees from the Federal Capital Territory.
“Advance opportunities for the effective implementation of agricultural development programmes including the adoption and adaptation (domestication) of the National Agricultural Extension Policy (NAEP), as a veritable mechanism for improving the delivery/provision of agricultural extension services to smallholder women and men farmers (SHFs)”.
Ugochukwu, also a Senior Programme Officer with CISLAC, called for improved budgetary allocations to support effective and sustainable implementation of policies and programmes designed to support smallholder farmers.
According to him, the organization will sponsor radio jingles and programmes to sensitize farmers on Good Agricultural Practices to improve productivity and livelihood.
He said that studies would be conducted to identify and make recommendations to address gaps in Gender-Responsive Budgeting to stimulate integration of gender issues in agriculture programmes.
Also, Executive Director, CISLAC, Auwal Musa-Rafsanjani said the organization had engaged the legislators to herald the Together Against Poverty (TAP) project in the state.
“Following which, commitments were made by the Representative of the Chairman of the State House Committee on Agriculture to expand the Extension Service (ES) programme in the state.
“With a new administration underway, engagement with relevant returning and incoming state actors is imperative to emphasize the importance and draw commitment, and adequate responses/actions towards the adoption and implementation of policies and practices.
“Also increasing citizen engagement particularly of women small-scale producers with policymakers,” he said.
The Speaker, Sulaiman commended CISLAC for the advancement of programmes that have direct bearing on lives of the people.
He said said the House would deliberate on a motion for the implementation of agricultural extension services in the state