The Federal Government of Nigeria is collaborating with the Government of Brazil to establish 117 agricultural mechanization centres across the country to improve agriculture practices and ensure food sufficiency.
Minister of State, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mustapha Baba Shehuri, disclosed this at a virtual high-level panel discussion to round off the activities to commemorate the 2021 World Food Day.
The scheme to establish mechanization centers in the country is a bilateral agreement between Nigeria and the Brazilian Government to tackle the two key areas lacking in the Nigerian Agric sector which are agricultural mechanization and agro-processing.
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Shehuri solicited more financial support to upscale the massive investment in the agricultural sector, adding that these centers at completion will grant Nigerian farmers access to agriculture mechanization services for a fee with relative ease without any need for them to own this expensive equipment for their farm operations.
The minister said his ministry was irrevocably committed to meeting the domestic food requirement, export at qualitative levels and creation of a favourable business environment to make agro-business thrive in the country.
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Other panellists at the virtual meeting include the Senior Special Adviser to the President on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Princess Adejoke Orelope Adefulire represented by her Assistant, Rose Keffas, Senior Special Adviser to the President on Agriculture, Dr Andrew Kwasari, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Representative in Nigeria and to ECOWAS, Fred Kafeero.
In addition to the above list include International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) Country Programme Manager, Patrick Habamenshi, National President of All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Arc. Kabir Ibrahim, World Food Programme (WFP) Country Director, Ronald Sibanda among others
