Nigeria partners with Brazil on Agriculture mechanization

The Nigerian government has entered into an Agricultural Mechanisation loan with the Government of Brazil to the tune of €995m, to improve Agricultural activities in the country.

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Alhaji Mohammed Sabo disclosed this while declaring open the 44th National Council on Agriculture and Rural Development, in Abuja with the theme ‘Nigeria’s Agriculture and Food security in the face of COVID-19, FLOODS AND INSECURITY.’

The Agric meeting is designed to appraise existing policies, programmes and projects at the National and sub-national levels for the purpose of entrenching synergy, best practices, entrepreneurship, livelihood and growth in the sector.

The Minister said; “the challenges brought by the emergence of the Covid-19 pandemic, floods and insecurity has galvanised the government into setting up necessary structures (and upgrade existing ones) to address infrastructural deficiency, technology gaps, security challenges and extension inadequacy. This approach is believed to be the right one for achieving our desired economic diversification and national development.”

He noted that Agricultural productivity can only be improved through mechanization.

Mechanization
“In our effort to improve the agriculture production profile, we have entered into a partnership with the government of Brazil through one of their foremost technology transfer institution, the Fundacao Getulio Vargas (FGV). This partnership has yielded an Agricultural Mechanisation loan to the tune of €995m,” Sabo explained.

The Minister said, the loan would be granted to Nigerian entrepreneurs to establish Service Centres across all the 774 Local Governments of the country.

“The service centres shall be of either a Type 1, supporting production activities; or a Type 2, supporting processing and packaging activities,” Sabo noted.

He informed the meeting of Nigeria’s government efforts in ending the importation of Sugar in 3to 4 years as well as establishing grazing reserves to address farmers and herders conflicts.

Also Speaking, the Minister of State for Agriculture Mustapha Shehuri stressed the need for stakeholders in the Agriculture to synergise for improved food security in the country.

The Minister of Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory FCT, Mohammed Bello represented by a Special Assistant, Mohammed Usman said the FCT had suffered the brunt of Covid-19 and insecurity as many migrate to the city for safety.

He identified the need for more investment in Agriculture as “it remains a weapon to hunger.”

A country representative Food and Agricultural Organisation, FAO, Mr Fred Kefeyo said, ” the Organisation is  concerned with the effects of Covid-19 and insecurity to Nigerian farmers as the consequences will be catastrophic on the population.

This he said, requires collaboration among stakeholders to expand opportunities to job creation.

Mr Kefeyo s said, “FAO is working with the Nigerian government to and other agencies to bring the needed improvement to the Agric sector.”

Other goodwill messages came from Action Aid and All Farmers Association of Nigeria AFAN.

Mercy Chukwudiebere