Embrace technology to end herders/farmers crisis, poverty, says Ogbeh

CHIEF Audu Ogbeh, the Minister of Agriculture, says using technology in all aspects of farming will not only end farmers-herders clashes but will also eradicate poverty in the agricultural sector.

Ogbeh said this on Thursday in Abuja at the Private Sector Consultation on the National Livestock Transformation Plan (NLTP) 2019 to 2028 and the Green Imperative.

He said that modern farming involved the use of technology to multiply yields and reduce wastes.

“Through technology, herders can get abundant processed feeds for cattle at an affordable rate.

“Animal wastes can also be used to produce energy that will earn income,’’ he said.

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According to him, there is need to embrace value-added agriculture in the country through mechanisation.

“The whole idea behind the NLTP programme is to establish value-added agriculture and we need to go bigger and add value to our agricultural products.

“For instance, we can raise production of our cassava and other farm produces for local and international consumers.

“Cashew nut is a high product in Brazil, just as coconut shell, but we are yet to add value to these by-products and turn them to wealth.

“Similarly, we don’t want a single farmer or herder to lose life to any form of crisis, we can grow goats better than what we have now by introducing artificial insemination of cattle,” he said.

The minister said that Saudi Arabia was searching for good meats, adding that Nigerian farmers could plug into such opportunities with less difficulty.

Ogbeh enjoined farmers and other stakeholders to take advantage of the consultation by coming up with solutions for economic farming.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the one-day event had in attendance representatives of livestock and crop farmers and service providers along the agricultural value chain.