The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Alhaji Muhammad Nanono has stated that the ministry would begin agricultural Mmechanization programme in 632 Local Government Areas in the country.
The policy, he stated would ensure that Nigeria achieved food security, job creation and economic growth.
The minister made this known when he received the Executive Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, in his office in Abuja.
Nanono explained that the initiative is expected to involve a full technology package transfer that would cover all stages, from agricultural production to industrial processing and marketing.
The minister told the governor that the programme would cover 632 LGAs across the country, adding that each of them would be fully equipped with administration and information technology workshop.
He said, “Each LGAs will have service centres and each centres will have a brand new tractor fully equipped with the admin and IT workshop.
“There would also be stores for seeds, fertilizer and excess produce. With these, we will link farmers up with processing industries especially clusters at the local government producing the same thing will be provided with processing plants.”
The minister who said that the mechanization services would be driven by the people in the local government areas encouraged individuals and groups to come up with proposals of how to manage the service centres.
He added that the Federal Government will guarantee the facilities.
Nanono pledged that the Federal Government will partner with Benue Government, adding that the government is looking at boosting the production of soya beans.
‘’On the issue of soya beans production, we are taking a critical look into this area as a means of boosting food production and creating employment. We have enormous market potential for soya beans in China’,” he said.
In his remarks, Ortom assured the Minister of the state’s commitment to partner with the ministry.
He said ‘’If you ask me, Nigeria’s major challenge is not the security problem alone, but unemployment and agriculture remains the one sector that has the capacity for creating jobs, and wealth for the teeming jobless youths.
“If we are able to engage the youths, we will have fewer problems in the country.”
PUNCH
