By Vincent A. Yusuf
As the 2020 farming commence, wet season farmers will not be part of the Federal Government’s mechanisation programme. This is coming on the heels of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development’s announcement that its mechanisation programme would begin in the next six months; apparently in September, 2020. September usually marks the commencement of wet season harvest across the country. The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Alhaji Mohammed Sabo Nanono, revealed this recently during the South–South Agro–Industrial Inspection/Town Hall Meeting held in Calabar, Cross River State
Alh. Mohammed said, “This mechanisation revolution is going to be kick-started in 632 local government areas in the next six months across the country and will be private sector-driven.” While emphasing the need for the programme, he assured on the success of the intervention and Nigeria’s strategic advantages. He said, “We have a huge population and massive market which can be primed to achieve the goals and objectives of the mechanisation policy.”
Nanono explained that the agro-industrialisation was Nigeria’s key to economic viability that would be anchored on his mechanisation policy, adding that it would reduce the high rate of unemployment, boost the economy, guarantee food security and advance the level of trade and investment in the agricultural sector as a veritable strategy to diversify the economy.