Chinese investors, Brains and Hammers to partner farmers on irrigation farming

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Alhaji Sabo Nanono, has declared the Ministry’s support for the partnership between the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) with investors from the Chinese government and Brains and Hammers to deepen water irrigation techniques and technologies to enhance crop production in Nigeria.

He said that the opportunities in agriculture abound and needed more partnerships, new approaches and modern technologies especially irrigation technologies to explore for crop production in all seasons.

The Minister disclosed this when he received in the audience, a delegation from the Chinese Investors and Brains and Hammers through the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) on a courtesy visit in Abuja.

Nanono expressed delight over the collaborative effort, stating that the Ministry has always been interested in whatever intervention that will help in the development of the agricultural sector in Nigeria, particularly the private sector is driven.

The Minister acknowledged that the foundation of the development of the Chinese economy has been largely agriculture-based, noting that the country is well known for the huge production of bean, rice, sorghum and soya which are also cultivated mostly in northern parts of Nigeria.

Similarly, the Minister expressed delight that Brains and Hammers, well known in Nigeria as investors in real estate, is diversifying into farming particularly in the development of the irrigation system.

He advised: “if you will be able to work on these Dams, creating irrigation, definitely the entire farming system in Nigeria will transform.”

He stressed the need for the expansion of the irrigation system in Nigeria stating, that it will boost the production of crops such as maize and rice during the dry season and mitigate the importation of rice into the country.

In his remarks, AFAN President, Alhaji Farouk Mudi, said the purpose of the visit is to partner with the Ministry, to provide seedlings, infrastructure to facilitate the speedy actualisation of the collaborative efforts.

In an earlier presentation, Mr Wang Yun, an Agricultural Expert from the Chinese investor group, said that they were in Nigeria to partner with FMARD through AFAN to bring the Chinese experience of over 30-decade development in the agricultural sector into the country to boost its crop Production, especially in rice and maize cultivation.

He assured that Nigeria will not only produce rice for consumption but will become a major exporter of the product in Africa. He added that at the end of the four-year collaboration, China will be importing rice from Nigeria.

Mr Abu Abubakar, representative of Brains and Hammers said the company is known for the building of houses but recently have diversified into Agriculture because of its desire to ensure food security.

He noted that the company has already secured the release of 21 dams by the Kano State government and is also partnering with the state to build infrastructure in the Dams to support the irrigation system.

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Chinese investors, Brains and Hammers to partner farmers on irrigation farming