Having identified banditry as the main challenge for farmers across the country, the Nigeria Institute of Agriculture Engineers ( NIAE) on Saturday urged the Federal Government to step up efforts in reducing security challenges limiting agricultural produce.
Speaking in Asaba, Delta State on the theme: ‘ Agricultural Mechanization and Rural Economic Transformation and Rural Security during the 22nd International Conference of the Association, President of NIAE, Prof Alonge Folarin reiterated the need to eradicate challenges facing the food security of the country.
According to him, “Many farmers have left their farms because of security challenges, adding that the issue of banditry must be addressed so that farmers can go back to farms without fear of being kidnapped.
“There cannot be increased production without mechanization and there cannot be mechanization without agricultural mechanization engineering” he mooted.
He said that sustainable production to feed the populace cannot be achieved without agricultural mechanization.
He harped on adequate funding of research saying that without research there cannot be any meaningful development.
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“Training and investment in agriculture are non-negotiable. Nigeria is the largest producer of yam and several other crops, we export raw without adding value and we get peanuts in return” he asserted.
He further urged the Federal Government should promote locally developed technologies from state and local government amongst research agencies and tertiary institutions saying that some of the things we import are not necessary.
“Nigeria government at all levels must be committed and diligent in their desire to transform the economy through the promotion of agricultural engineering programs and food security for the population” he mooted.
He stressed that no results have been achieved in the agricultural sector due to a lack of strategic collaborative efforts from Agencies and Governments at all levels.
“It is like everybody is doing their own things in their own way. Nobody should be working in isolation but that has been happening for too long.
Even the simple things we do, we can modernize them so that the energy put by farmers would be less” he stated.
