PM okays agri review boards

 PRIME Minister Peter O’Neill yesterday announced the approval for the functional and expenditure review of agriculture commodity boards and agencies.

O’Neill said this would improve their governance and performance, accountability and identify appropriate and relevant structure by the National Executive Council.

He said in a statement that in 2005 an agriculture sector functional and expenditure review (FER) was undertaken to provide a clear framework for short to medium term targeted government institutional refocus, rationalisation and if necessary restructuring, so that limited public resources could be used effectively and efficiently.

However, the scope of the 2005 FER was broad. Consequently, the review recommended a further FER specific to each commodity board and agency, including the Department of Agriculture and Livestock (DAL).

The 2005 FER revealed evidence of duplication of roles and functions as well as inefficiency.

There was also lack of coordination resulting in poor relationships leading to poor service delivery to farmers.

The FER also found that no influence on the government planning and budget processes resulting in inadequate and inconsistent allocation of funds to core priority programs and activities.

The above findings were directly linked to the absence of a sector plan or shared vision. 

In response, DAL developed the first National Agriculture Development Plan (NADP) 2007-2016 to revitalise the sector. 

NADP will also be subjected to a mid-term review after the FER on commodity boards and agencies is completed.

“This FER will focus on but not necessarily be limited to the following agriculture commodity boards and agencies: Cocoa Board, Coffee Industry Corporation, Kokonas lndastri Koporesen, Oil Palm Industry Corporation, Rubber Board, Spice Industry Board, Livestock Development Corporation Ltd, and Fresh Produce Development Agency Ltd,” O’Neill said.

“Recent Analysis of recurrent and development budget components for the Department of Agriculture & Livestock and commodity boards reveal that up to 80% of the government’s annual appropriation used to fund recurrent budget with bulk of it used for personnel emoluments.