Stakeholders Task Presidency On Increased Mechanization Funding

In a bid to drive increased development of the sector and well being of the local players, the National President of the Agriculture and Allied Employees’ Union of Nigeria (AAEUN), Comrade Simon Anchaver, has called on the Buhari administration to focus more on mechanized farming by improving on the funding of the National Centre for Agricultural Mechanisation (NCAM).

He stated this in Ilorin during the Agricultural Development Programme (ADP) Trade Group forum and courtesy visit to the centre headed by Engr. Ikechukwu Azogu, the Executive Director.

Anchaver commented on the need to increase the funding of Nigeria’s foremost mechanization institution, considering the agricultural sector’s strategic role in the 21st century agro-driven economy. 

“The leadership at NCAM needs more encouragement and proper funding by the federal government to enable it record more successes and be able to help in repositioning the country’s status on the food production index table among the committee of Nations.

“Oil prices instability and economic meltdown being experienced intermittently by even First World Nations is forcing global leaders to prioritize agriculture and our own President Muhammadu Buhari cannot afford to miss out on this juicy opportunity to revive agriculture so that it can be the new driver of our growing economy,” he said.

Furthermore, he urged for the revival of all the 37 Agricultural Development Programmes (ADPs) and also join hands with the state governors to adequately provide the requirements of the ADPs.

Describing ADPs as the engine room for the attainment of food security in Nigeria, the National Chairman of ADP Trade Group Forum, Comrade Jibril Abdul Nggada, stated however that the ADPs were confronted with a lot of challenges which hinder their effectiveness. The problems, he said, include poor counterpart funding and shortage of field staff.