OBASANJO SEEKS THAILAND SUPPORT FOR NIGERI’S AGRIC SECTOR

Represented by his aide,Chief Idowu Akanle,the former president noted that as part of moves to make food available for Nigerians, the present administration was also planning to introduce 2000 tractors to boost mechanized farming.
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Similarly,he urged other countries to partner on the‎ initiative of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration in order to ensure increased local production of food crops in the country.

“Nigeria’s agricultural sector requires international supports in its programmes and initiatives such as the Cattle breeding improvement, climate change,standardization and certification of food products, seed development and improvement, capacity building, among others’,he stated.

He added “As I am made to understand, President Muhammadu Buhari’s‎ administration in Nigeria is working vigorously to commercialize and mechanize Nigeria’s agriculture by introducing about 2,000 units of

tractors and various kinds of harvesting and processing equipment to
mechanize our farming annually, while also building Nigerian local content and capacity to sustain and advance mechanization to suit best‎ practices worldwide’.
“I expect that Thailand and other countries alike will tap on this initiative and partner with the Nigerian government towards lifting the agricultural sector and ensuring increased local production of‎ food crops. Nigeria’s population which would grow up to 200 million
people by the year 2020 could also be an advantage for international partners to tap in’,Obasanjo stressed.

Hear him further,“I further seek assistance from the Thai government on area of
machineries that could convert shafts from rice mills in the country to briquettes for household uses, such that life could be taken back to the rural areas, mostly for women and youths.”

“I will kindly implore the Thai government to explore further areas of collaboration with the Nigerian government in order to tackle the enormous challenges facing the nation’s agricultural sector’,former president said.

“I do hope that we can continue to count on the support of Thai
Government in up-scaling the growth of Nigeria’s agricultural sector. I do hope that we can continue to count on the support of Thai government in up-scaling the growth of Nigeria’s agricultural sector’,Obasanjo added.

 

He emphasized that it was known “fact globally that agriculture is the driving force of the Thai economy – not just figuratively, but literally as well, since its mechanization has expanded in recent years along with its technical standards and level of technology.

“The agricultural machine manufacturing sector has played a major role
in this development, which is one of the most important pillars of agriculture. I have no illusions that this year’s show of agricultural machine industry and machine is going to engender prospects and growth‎ for manufacturers and traders alike.”
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Obasanjo, further acknowledged the rapid growth of the sector in Europe and USA, lamented that African continent, including Nigeria was not a good story to tell.

“As we speak today, Europe is over-mechanised, USA is completely mechanised, but I regret to state that in African countries, including
Nigeria, only five per cent of farm labour is done using tractors.

“However, we, as Nigerians, appreciate the fact that there is the need for renewed commitment to end unbridled importation of all kinds of
food items, making the country self-sufficient in food in order to
deepen and widen the Private Sector-Driven Agricultural Mechanisation
Framework (PSDAMF) strategies in partnership with local fabricators
and manufacturer representatives.