Agricultural Transformation Depends on Institutions and Execution, Not Budgets Alone — Dr. Tony Bello

Food scientist and agro-industrial strategist Dr. Tony Bello has emphasized that Nigeria’s agricultural transformation will not be achieved through budgetary allocations alone but through strong institutions, effective partnerships, and disciplined execution. Bello made this assertion during a recent policy discussion on Nigeria’s 2026 Agriculture Budget on a television programme hosted by Martha Alu.

Speaking on the programme, Bello acknowledged the significance of the federal government’s allocation of about 2.5 percent, or ₦1.45 trillion, from a proposed ₦58 trillion national budget to agriculture. However, he stressed that the more critical issue lies in how efficiently and strategically the funds are utilized to generate real economic value.

“Budgets don’t transform agriculture — institutions, partnerships, and execution do,” Bello said. “The recurring problem is not just how much we allocate, but the persistent gap between spending and outcomes.”

He explained that Nigeria’s agricultural sector has long struggled with government-centric spending models that prioritize disbursement over delivery. According to him, sustainable progress requires a shift toward collaborative execution frameworks that align public institutions, private sector operators, development partners, and on-the-ground practitioners around shared objectives.

“Our approach must move agriculture away from social management and toward strategic, market-linked investment,” Bello noted. “That means focusing on systems that create value, not just programmes that consume budgets.”

During the discussion, Bello highlighted the urgent need to strengthen enabling infrastructure, establish credible national farmer databases, and enforce accountability mechanisms across the agricultural value chain. He also called for improved access to affordable financing, particularly through institutions such as NIRSAL Plc and the Bank of Agriculture, to unlock single-digit interest loans that can support productive investment.

“Affordable finance is not optional if we want scale,” he said. “Institutions like NIRSAL and the Bank of Agriculture must function as true development finance enablers, not just as intermediaries.”

Bello further advocated for the restoration and refinement of policy tools that have previously delivered results. These include the electronic wallet system for input distribution, structured access to land within Free Trade Zones and Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones, and well-designed public-private partnership platforms.

A major focus of the conversation was the central role of smallholder farmers, who Bello said account for nearly 70 percent of Nigeria’s private agricultural activity. Despite facing structural, financing, and policy constraints, smallholders continue to sustain the sector and form the backbone of national food production.

“Over 70 percent of Nigeria’s agricultural economy is driven by smallholder farmers,” Bello stated. “Sustainable transformation will only happen when government, private sector, and development partners execute together in a way that truly supports them.”

He also identified leadership and policy continuity as a recurring challenge limiting growth in the sector. Bello warned that frequent policy changes driven by political cycles often undermine technocratic expertise and disrupt long-term planning.

“No sector scales when politics consistently overrides technocratic leadership,” he said. “Agriculture requires knowledge, experience, and continuity to deliver results.”

From an institutional perspective, Bello pointed to platforms such as the Nigeria Cassava Industrialization Group (NCIG) as practical examples of stakeholder-driven collaboration focused on execution. He explained that such platforms help translate policy intent into market-driven outcomes by aligning actors across the value chain.

He clarified that the proposed Nigeria Cassava Industrialization Council remains a conceptual framework under consideration, envisioned as a future public-policy coordination platform subject to engagement and adoption by relevant government authorities.

As the conversation concluded, Bello reiterated that Nigeria’s agricultural future depends less on headline budget figures and more on the quality of institutions, partnerships, and delivery mechanisms put in place.

“Agriculture will not transform Nigeria through budgets alone,” he said. “It will transform through strong institutions, aligned partnerships, and disciplined execution.”

He expressed appreciation for the engagement on the programme and emphasized the need to move decisively from policy discussions to measurable outcomes that deliver lasting impact across Nigeria’s agricultural economy.