OBJ, World Bank, others for agric mechanisation exhibition in Ogun

Nigeria’s former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, the World Bank and farmers across the 36 States of the federation are expected at the Nigerian Agricultural Mechanisation Exhibition (NAME) 2022, in Abeokuta.

The three-day event coming up between February 16th to 18th according to the organisers Hephzibah Nigeria Limited would afford players in the agricultural mechanisation field to collaborate and proffer solution on how Nigerian farmers can leverage on technology for food production.

The theme of the event is: “Redefining Agricultural Mechanisation To Enhance Food Security And Boost Agribusiness”.

The Convener of the exhibition, Paul Hephzibah, at a press conference held in Abeokuta, recently, said, the programme is organised to address the gap between peasant farmers and mechanised farmers.

He said, “Despite decades of immense expenditures and investments into agriculture, in terms of funding and inputs distribution by the Federal and State governments, international agencies and Non-governmental Organisations (NGO), the average Nigerian farmer remains an indigent serf, regarded by today’s youths as a dreadful anachronism.

“Agricultural industry, though highly rich and potentially endowed with capacity to employ large number of unemployed youths from the labour market, has been paralysed through carelessness and lack of right approach.

“The international development partners are not successful with their various support and intervention programmes on agriculture because the implementation lacks the engagement of the major driver, mechanisation, Nigerians have continuously and unconsciously enriched the businesses of other nations and their farmers by importing much of her food and agricultural raw materials into the country while the aged and the ageing farmers are left as peasant farmers in their localities.