Food Security: National policy on mechanisation will promote agriculture economy

The Federal Government says a National Agriculture Mechanisation Policy will promote mechanisation for increased productivity, food security and agricultural economy.

Mr Temitope Fashedemi, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, stated this at a stakeholders workshop on the review of draft national agriculture mechanisation policy on Wednesday in Abuja.

Fashedemi was represented by Mr Ibrahim Tanimu, Director, Planning and Coordination, Ministry of Agriculture.

He said that the policy seeks to create an enabling environment for mechanisation development, build capacity for training, research and technology development.

Fashedemi said the policy also sought to promote mechanisation for increased productivity and providing quality assurance set goals, and directions for present and future development among others

He said that the draft review of the national agricultural mechanisation policy is expected to guide mechanisation activities in Nigeria.

According to him, agriculture mechanisation is the bedrock of general engineering support services that aims at promoting the agricultural economy.

“In general, agriculture mechanisation provides technological inputs and tasks that create, improve, increase and expand productivity through efficient cost effective and sustainable strategies.

“It also encompasses and extends to technological development activities in the value chain spectrum of tillage, crop protection, harvest, post-harvest, storage, agro industries and rural infrastructural supports of the agro-economy,” he said.

He said that the significance of the national policy in agriculture mechanisation was to attain food security, livelihood security, strong export push and import substitution components.

”This will ensure that adequate and appropriate technology is available for our farmers and prevent dumping of obsolete equipment in the country.

“Currently, there is no national policy on agriculture mechanisation in Nigeria, but there are strategies under Agricultural policy; in which the government promotes agriculture mechanisation,” he said.

Fashedemi said that successive governments have emphasised on selective mechanisation through importation and procurement of tractors.

“The enactment of the national policy on mechanisation will solve this anomaly,” he said.

The permanent secretary said the ministry is planning to train 819 tractor operators and mechanics at Agriculture Mechanics and Machinery Operators Training Centre (AMMOTRAC) at Akure and Misau.

Earlier, Mr Frank Kudla, Chairman of the Committee on the draft policy, expressed hope that the review of the document would serve as a guiding framework for the transformation of Nigeria’s agriculture sector.

“Agriculture, as we know, is the backbone of our economy. It employs a significant portion of our population and is essential to the livelihoods of millions of Nigerians.

“However, the traditional methods that have served us well in the past now require a transformation to meet the demands of a rapidly growing population.

” This policy aims not only to promote the adoption of mechanised farming practices but also to empower our farmers with the necessary tools, knowledge and resources to thrive in a competitive global market,” he said.

Kudla is also the Director, Department of Rural Development, Ministry of Agriculture.

In a Goodwill message, Dr Musa Olasupo, Director of Programmes, Greener Hope Large Scale Mechanisation Programme , underscored the importance of mechanisation to achieve food and nutrition in Nigeria.

He stressed the need for synergy and collaboration between stakeholders to advance mechanisation in the country.