FG to drive agricultural mechanisation with 60,000 tractors: Minister
The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Muhammad Nanono, says the Federal Government is targeting about 60,000 tractors to drive its Agriculture Mechanisation Programme.
Mr Nanono disclosed this when participants of the Senior Executive Course (SEC) NO. 43 (2021) of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru visited him in Abuja on Tuesday.
The minister said that the Agriculture Mechanisation Programme would ensure food and nutrition security, create jobs and boost the economy in line with President Muhammadu Buhari’s policy to boost food production.
He noted that agricultural mechanisation now revolves around the world, saying that this would address the challenge of feeding the Nation’s growing population and achieving food sustainability.
Mr Nanono told the visitors that the federal government was making moves to increase agricultural extension workers to 75,000 on various value chains for efficient food production and self – sufficiency.
”We hope to train 75, 000 extension workers over a period of three years,” the minister said.
The minister had recently said that the federal government had concluded plans to distribute over 10,000 tractors and inputs to farmers in the 774 local government areas in the country.
Mr Nanono said that each of the councils would be allocated tractors worth N150,000 million each and inputs as soft loan to be repaid in an 11 years plan.
The minister noted that there had been increases in food production in spite of the security challenges and COVID- 19 pandemic in the country.
He said that the federal government was determined to expand agriculture across the board.
Mr Nanono disclosed that the Ministry of Agriculture had been involved in research and development along with the value chain addition, noting that research was very important in the agricultural sector.
Speaking earlier, the leader of the delegation, Prof. Olufumilayo Para-Mallam, the Director of Studies (NIPSS), expressed delight to be at the ministry for the interactive discourse on agricultural policies of the ministry.
She noted that the ministry was a key ministry critical to sustainable development
(NAN)
More from Peoples Gazette
Economy
We’ve increased daily petrol supply to end queues: NNPC
“We have embarked on a massive load out. Today, we trucked out 1,661 trucks from all depots across the country.”
Uncategorized
Fire destroys Kano INEC data centre
“We assure members of the public that this incident will not in any way affect the operations of the commission.”
Politics
Gov. Makinde to spend N279 million on ballot papers for LG polls
He further stated that the actual cost of the 2.6 million ballot papers was N260 million, while VAT was N19.5 million.
NationWide
Nigeria partner Tanzania to tackle insecurity
According to Mr Irabor, both militaries needed to cooperate in knowledge sharing and modalities to address diverse security challenges and promote peace and security in Africa.
Education
Obaseki spent N6 billion on primary schools educational materials: SUBEB
“We already know the cost to have every child in the classroom, including the training of teachers.”
States
Youths rampage in fresh Ebonyi communities clash
Violence erupted Tuesday between Ezilo and Iyionu communities in the Ohaukwu local government area of Ebonyi, the police have said.
