How to attain food sufficiency, security in Nigeria: Experts

*Experts say modular farming equipment could deliver the result needed for industrialised agriculture in the country

Alexander Davis | ConsumerConnect

Professionals have identified industrialised agriculture through mechanisation as the only means of ensuring food security in Nigeria.

They also urged farmers to embrace the use of modular farming equipment to enhance their productivity and profitability.

Foodstuffs

ConsumerConnect learnt the experts stated these in  Wednesday, May 11, 2022, at a capacity training for farmers in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

STIHL Germany organised the training in collaboration with  C.Woermann and in partnership with International Institute of Tropical Agricultural (IITA), agency report said.

Dr. Debo Akande, Head of Agribusiness at IITA, said that Nigeria must adopt the practice of agriculture, as obtainable in countries such as The Netherlands, Israel, and other developed countries to ensure food security.

Akande stated: “If you see the level of mechanisation involved in agriculture in those countries and the innovations, you will agree with me that we have a long way to go in Nigeria.

“However, I am happy that even though we have a long way to go, we have taken a bold step today by providing modular farming equipment for farmers.”

An Executive Assistant to Oyo State Governor and Director-General of Oyo State Agribusiness, he also disclosed that modular farming equipment could deliver the result needed for industrialised agriculture.

The era of using big machines is gradually fading away, considering the challenges of maintenance and repair of the equipment, said he.

Akande further noted: “When I assumed office, I went round the state and concluded that those heavy equipment are no longer needed.

“But with modular equipment, even if they get spoilt or they are faulty, they can be easily transported from site to where they will be repaired.”

He as well enjoined participants to make judicious use of the knowledge and technology gained from the training in order to be more productive, efficient.

Speaking at the programme, Mr. Klaus Okunowski, Managing Director, C. Woermann Nigeria, said that the training was aimed at developing the capacity of farmers to use the latest modern farming equipment.

Okunowski said: “We are taking knowledge in the latest technology of stihl to the farmers.

“The equipment is mobile, small and powerful, and it has been in existence for over 90 years in Germany.

“We are trying to support farmers to be more efficient and productive by working with more reliable equipment and be able to feed the over 200 million Nigerians.”

In her remarks, Mrs. Onome Ayide, Head of Marketing and Communication, C. Woermann Nigeria, said that the technology being made available to farmers was one that could perform different tasks, such as tilling, weeding, application of fertilizers, and spraying.

Report also indicates some of the participants, who spoke on the occasion, expressed appreciation to the organisers.

They stated that the training would further enhance their livelihoods.

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