As 774 LGAs to get agric service centres soon

By Gabriel Ewepu – Abuja

Federal Government woos investors to establish agricultural equipment assemblies in the country to boost mechanization of the agricultural sector towards greater participation in food production across various value chains.

This was disclosed by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mohammed Nanono, at a town hall meeting with farmers under the auspices of All Farmers Associations of Nigeria, AFAN, including other stakeholders in Kano, Kano State.

Nanono who expressed optimism and hope over-boost the sector will experience when fully mechanized said young people would be actively involved and engaged in various activities across the value chains and that would reduce the number of unemployed youths drastically including vices.

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He said: “We need to give the Government the necessary support and cooperation to enable it to achieve success in terms of food security, job creation and increased Internally Generated Revenue, IGR.

“Federal Government is attracting these companies to set up their factories in Nigeria and when they do that, it will generate more jobs.

“Farmers should rise up to the challenge of meeting the expectation of government for the sector being the backbone of the nation’s economy.

“The Buhari-led administration is committed to revolutionize the agricultural system with a deliberate plan to attract investors and to set up assembly plants in Nigeria.”

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Meanwhile, the Minister also made it known that the government has plans to establish agricultural service centres across the 774 Local Government Areas of the country for accessibility and affordability by farmers.

“Already, we are planning to establish service centers across the 774 local government areas across Nigeria where farmers can access improved seed and other farm inputs.

“With the setting of the service centers equipment will be sourced and assembled in Nigeria to serve the rural and urban farmers. He said the ministry would continue to support farmers like the Rice Millers, yam, wheat, maize, and others to produce more to meet the nation’s demand.”

Earlier speaking was the Chairman, Kano State Chapter, AFAN, Ahmed Mudi, in a welcome address appreciated the visit and meeting by the Minister with farmers and leadership of the association in Kano.

Mudi also said there is a need for the government’s intervention to scale up small scale activities of processors and millers by making it easier for them to perform optimally along the commodities’ value chains.

He requested that the government should help in building the capacity of processors and extension service agents in the country including welfare programnmes.

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