Atiku’s government to partner AFAN, others in agric transportation

…he will solve food security problem with increase agric production – Bashir

Tunde Opalana, Abuja

Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar will solve the nation’s food security problem by increasing production of agricultural products and resources.

This is as his government will partner the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) and other bodies in easing agric transportation

An ally of Atiku and chieftain of PDP, Ambassador Ibrahim Bashir stated this Tuesday night in Abuja at the unveiling and launch of a multi million dollars tricycle project for all farmers in Nigeria.

AFAN secured funding for the manufacture and purchase of 100,000 customized units of tricycles from Songou Motors , South Korea , for her members nationwide, to help with transporting both the farmers and produce from the hinterlands to farms, warehouses, markets and to their consumers.

Ambassador Bashir who represented Atiku at the event said agriculture is one of the five-point development agenda of the government of Atiku Abubakar if millions of Nigerians give him the mandate on the 25th of February.

He said as a farmer, Atiku understands this terrain sufficiently well and that is why he is a strong stakeholder in this enterprise.

“In his book titled ‘Covenant with Nigerians’ he wrote, “In pursuit of policy diversification, we shall the support of the development of commercially driven, technology sufficient agriculture, proficient agriculture which ensures food security, interface with manufacturers for the supply of raw materials. Agriculture will develop into modern productive and competitive venture with high job creation and poverty reduction capacity”.

READ ALSO: National Economic Council endorses Nigeria agenda 2050

“If elected president, he said Atiku promises to “increase agricultural output from the current level of 41.13trillion to about 55 trillion by the year 2023. This implies an annual growth rate in the agricultural sector from the current 2.1% to 3.7 per annun in the year between 2023 and 2030.

“If given the mandate to lead this country, Atiku has promised to improve the agricultural sectors access to financial services through NIRSAL in de-risking lending to the sector by commercial and development banks.

“The overall goal is to improve the financial capacity of the famers and other agricultural producers, to adopt new technologies that will increase their yield and resilience to economic shocks.
Atiku in his policy on agriculture promise to support and engage with women by providing basic working capital requirement for small scale farming and traditional processes as loans to the low-income group.

“He promised to provide facilities for the procurement of machinery and equipment to help set up and run cottage and small scale industries. This will greatly create employment opportunities at ward levels across all the 774 local government authorities in the country.”

Bashir said that Atiku appreciate, the government and people of South Korea and the Korean company for partnering with AFAN and Farin Ciki to build such a customized vehicle to make life easy for farmers and to produce these machines in such a number.

“May this triangular partnership bring Farin Ciki (happiness) to AFAN, Nigerian farmers and South Korean partners,” he concluded.

In his address, President of All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Dr. Farouk Rabiu Mudi said the project is in consonance with the vision to build a nation where sustainable agriculture is the bedrock and co-foundation of the collective and living economy and means of livelihood leveraging on human and material resources, connecting with rural and small holder farmers to cultivate ideas for sustainable growth.

He said “these tricycles will support farmers in transporting inputs and labour to their farms as well as transporting back to the community where they are produced at ease. We are certain that this will cut the cost of transportation farmers have been challenged with in another phase.

“To most especially the youths, these products will serve as a support to fill the gap of redundancy of after harvest so that they can use same to keep them busy and thus improve on their income and also reduce massive rural urban migration.

“We are certain that this project will indeed bring bout positive change to agriculture industry and the community within. I employ all our farmers across the country to leverage on this positive trend, promote and tap into it to improve upon the production and supply of agro related goods and services.