For African countries, especially Nigeria to meet up her food security productivity in view of Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) global call for agricultural mechanization sustainability is one task that must be vigorously pursued by government and relevant stakeholders.
This is the view of the Executive Director ( ED), National Centre for Agricultural Mechanization ( NCAM) Engr. Kamal AbdulGafar Rasheed and former Director, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development ( FMARD ) Engr. Akeju Olagbaju while speaking with Food Farm News in the call by FAO recently at Rome conference held last September, saying there is need for increased Government political will at all levels to ensure its success in Nigeria.
Engr. Rasheed said that his centre with research mandate into agricultural mechanization has no doubt about Nigeria's ability to internally sustain mechanization development to the point of making available more ecologically adaptable tools and equipment for precision agriculture, adding that all the three tiers of Government must unreservedly make funds available to assist farmers in order to have access to these tools and implements for crops production.
Describing the achievement his centre has made in terms of simple tools and equipment already in their shelves, the Executive Director said that the call by FAO is an indication that agricultural mechanization sustainability is very key to food security, and Nigeria is ready to align to the global calling with more funding to mechanization.
According to NCAM ED " Agricultural Mechanization is a critical issue and it must be at the center of any country's food security plan. It is in response to this critical need that the NCAM was extablished with the mission rooted in the recognition that appropriate and home- grown mechanization is indispensable catalyst for sustainable agricultural development in Nigeria"
" NCAM over the years has recorded tremendous contribution to Agriculture by developing arrays of indigenous technologies that reduced drudgery, increased farmers efficiency and agricultural productivity. The centre has produced equipment and tools such as tractors, yam mould maker, planters, weeders, harvester, briquette making machine, transplanter and host of other processing and storage equipment.
He added that " The centre has developed 30hp, 40hp and 50 HP mini tractors designed to perform similar operations as a conventional tractors but on a smaller scale. The mini tractors, which are highly cheaper and smaller than the conventional tractors can be afforded by both small and medium scale farmers in order to improve their productivity and self reliance "
Also speaking, the former director, mechanization department, FMARD, Engr. Akeju Olagbaju in his message to us said that the FAO global call for agricultural mechanization sustainability to address the challenges of inadequate food production ocassioned by increasing population in Africa and Nigeria was indeed a right thing to ensure cost effective measure of food system productivity.
Engr. Akeju said that " African Agriculture is still grappling with the challenge of low and inefficient production, and Nigeria in particular is facing greater challenges because of the huge population in excess of 200 million. This underscores the introduction and adoption of modern technology, particularly the mechanised Agriculture. You would recall in the past we were in the frontline to call the attention of FAO to support Mechanization in Nigeria. I am confident that this conference hosted by FAO will illuminate the path of many African countries to adopting mechanized Agriculture. It is a sign of good things to come and African countries must demonstrate political commitment to give serious attention not only to mechanised farming but also on irrigated Agriculture. This is another renewed opportunity for Nigeria to make a giant stride and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security must lead the crusade and support sub-national to re-create Agrarian revolution that will address the self sufficiency in food production"
The FAO three days Global Agricultural Mechanization Conference (GAMC) held in Rome with the Theme " Efficiency, Inclusiveness and Resilience" last month September was to address how simple improved scientific tools and machinery could be used as a cost saving device to drive the food system of each country in a manner that would strengthen technical network for sustainable development of agricultural mechanization with peculiarity ecologies adaptation.
FAO pointed out that the current global food challenges have demanded a unique transformation of agrifood systems with sustainable mechanization as over two billion people lacked regular access to safe nutrition and adequate food in 2021, a trend that continues to increase food insecurity and malnutrition on the globe.
FAO is thereby scaling actions to reverse the trend by implementing its strategic frame work starting 2022-31 through more efficient, Inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems for better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life, living no one behind.
It believed this move will make a critical contribution to achieving the United Nations' Sustainable Development goals ( SDGs)1,2,10,12, and 13.
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