Food security: Buhari okays N24.4bn for tech-based irrigation scheme to boost harvest

Mohammad Haruna, executive vice chairman, National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), says President Muhammadu Buhari approved N24.4 billion for phase one of the smart irrigation scheme for nation’s agricultural sector.

Haruna disclosed this on Thursday at the foundation laying of the Agricultural Machinery and Equipment Development Institute (AMEDI) in Obudu, Cross River State.

Haruna said as part of an all-year-round bumper harvest plan, the federal government decided to establish six AMEDIs in each of the geopolitical zones.

The AMEDIs would teach farmers not only mechanised farming, but also modern farming techniques, he said.

In addition, the NASENI boss said Nigeria had been collaborating with Czech Republic and Jordan on modern agriculture and manpower training on mechanised farming.

“The administration of President Buhari had laid the foundation of ensuring multi-crops season farming programme in Nigeria by approving N24.4 billion for the phase one of smart irrigation scheme,” he said.

“The proliferation of mechanised farming is needed to meet the targeted bumper harvest all year round which informs the need for local production of tools and equipment and hence approval for the six institutes nationwide.

“One of the targets of implementing bilateral agreement between Nigeria and Czech Republic approved by President Buhari and managed by the presidential implementation committee hosted by NASENI is to make agriculture attractive to the youths by deploying mechanisation and technology.

“NASENI experts trained recently in Czech Republic and others in Jordan in modern agriculture are among the best Nigeria has ever produced in agricultural technology with capacity and know-how in the application of advances in agricultural technology especially green agriculture.”

Haruna further said phase I of the six agricultural institutes is located in three states.

“Each of the six geo-political zones of Nigeria is allocated an AMEDI to meet the equipment needs of the nation. Three out of these six agricultural equipment-based institutes are being developed in phase one,” he added.

“These are AMEDI-Lafia, Nasarawa state for north-central; AMEDI Mbutu Mbaise, Imo state for south-east, and Obudu in Cross River state for south-south. Lafia and Mbutu are expected to be commissioned in March 2023.

“The institutes are mandated to invent and produce tools, parts, systems and equipment, and machinery for cultivation, plantation, weeding, harvesting, shelling, processing and preservation through backward integration and domestication of foreign technologies in agriculture copied by a well-trained staff of NASENI.

“AMEDI Obudu is one of the two selected by Jordanian partners of NASENI for the pilot of all-inclusive modern agricultural food traceability project being implemented using internet of things (IOT) devices for global acceptability of Nigerian food and cash crops to enhance foreign exchange through export of agricultural products.

“The AMEDIs will teach farmers not only mechanised farming but modern farming techniques using technology for enhanced yields per hectare of farmland for bumper harvest and profitability.”

On his part, Ben Ayade, governor of the state commended the federal government for promoting the agricultural sector.