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Reuben Mwambingu @reubenmwambingu

The National Assembly Committee on Agriculture and Livestock has accused the National Treasury of underfunding the agriculture sector.

Committee chairperson Silas Tiren said the sector is currently underfunded by about Sh26 billion.

Besides being poorly funded, the sector did not receive the Sh1.5 billion stimulus package that was awarded to cushion the sector at the height of Covid-19 pandemic crisis, said Tiren (pictured).

“Treasury should look into funding agriculture much better than now,” the Moiben MP said while addressing the press at a Mombasa hotel where the committee has retreated to interrogate 2021/22 budget estimates.

The committee pointed out myriad challenges in the sector which it said can only be solved by better funding.

Ministry cartels

“If you look at the estimates we are looking at now, agriculture is underfunded by at least Sh26 billion which is not right,” he said, adding that those frustrating the sector will not be tolerated.

Committee members vowed to deal with any cartels which they said were undermining the ministry.

The committee said the sector has been allocated Sh72 billion in the 2021/22 financial year up from Sh52 billion in 2020/21.