News in Brief:
– In a significant development for Nigeria’s agricultural sector, the government secured a â¬995 million ($1.08 billion) deal to establish mechanisation hubs across the country and bolster food security.
– This initiative, involving collaboration with Brazil, Germany, and the John Deere Group, aims to deliver modern agricultural machinery and technology, fostering large-scale development within the agro-value chain.
In a bid to address food insecurity challenges and modernise the agricultural sector, the Nigerian government has secured a â¬995 million deal with with the government of Brazil, and the German Deutsch Bank Group.
The deal aims to finance a Green Imperative Programme in the country. This initiative, announced in a statement by the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, will help to establish mechanisation hubs in all 774 local government areas (LGAs) across the nation.
Additionally, the program will see the delivery of 10,000 tractors and implements over five years through a signed agreement with the John Deere Group, a subsidiary of Tata Equipment.
Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu seized the opportunity to reiterate the government’s commitment to achieving food sufficiency. He revealed that this aim will be achieved while protecting local industries to ensure sustainable economic growth. He highlighted the initiative’s focus in deploying cutting-edge agricultural machinery and technology to develop a large-scale agro-value chain within the country.
Ultimately, the programme aligns with the President’s broader vision of transforming Nigeria into an economy of opportunities where the needs of the people are met. He specifically mentioned the potential to provide food security through initiatives like supplying meals to students nationwide.
Sequel to this report, Vice President Kashim Shettima flagged off an empowerment scheme to assist farmers as part of the administration’s efforts to improve food production. Under the Kashim Shettima Foundation’s Agricultural Empowerment Scheme, the VP will supervise the distribution of farming inputs to local farmers.
VP Shettima Supports President Tinubu’s Agric Revolution, Launches Empowerment Scheme
Farmers get tractors, fertilizers, seeds, other inputs for 2024 farming season#StateHousePressRelease pic.twitter.com/g1ZZQwmKgi
â Presidency Nigeria (@NGRPresident) March 12, 2024
