News in brief:
– Nigeria’s science and engineering infrastructure agency and ministry of agriculture are partnering to improve agro-allied industries, mitigate climate change, and promote smart solar irrigation.
– The plan to will focus on mass producing UAVs for insecticide spraying, as well as sustain afforestation, support solar-powered water irrigation, and boost food processing.
The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) and Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAFS) are in talks to form a partnership that will see them deploy existing technical competencies and other resources to improve agro-allied industries development, climate change mitigation, and smart solar irrigation for dry-season farming.
According to a news source, the partnership is in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration, which prioritises agriculture as one of the key sectors for economic development.
During a meeting in Abuja between agriculture minister Abubakar Kyari; the Minister of State for Agriculture & Food Security, Sabi Aliyu Abdullahi, and the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NASENI, Mr. Khalil Suleiman Halilu, they agreed that the collaboration between the two institutions will enhance the focus and deliverables towards achieving the president’s transformation plans.
In a statement, Kyari revealed that the partnership will focus on the following areas:
- Mass producing Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) for spraying insecticides over vast farm locations.
- Sustaining afforestation.
- Introducing solar-powered water irrigation to increase wet and dry season farming yields.
- Cold chain food processing and agro-allied value chain additions for preservation and processing of foods in commercial quantities and exports.
Ultimately, the partnership is expected to boost agricultural productivity while creating jobs and improving food security in Nigeria.
