The Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive of the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure, Prof. Mohammad Haruna, has said the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) has approved N24.4bn for the phase one of the nation’s smart irrigation scheme. In a statement, he said the nation was already trying to promote multi-crops season farming programme.
As part of an all-year round bumper harvest plan, he added, the Federal Government had decided to establish six Agricultural Machinery and Equipment Development Institutes in each of the nation’s geopolitical zones.
He said the institutes would teach farmers not only mechanised farming but modern farming techniques. According to him, Nigeria had been collaborating with Czech Republic and Jordan on modern agriculture and manpower training on mechanized farming.
Haruna made the disclosures at the foundation laying of the Agricultural Machinery and Equipment Development Institute in Obudu, Cross River State for the South-South, the statement said.
He said, “The administration of President Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) had laid foundation of ensuring multi-crops season farming programme in Nigeria by approving N24.4bn for the phase one of smart irrigation scheme.
The proliferation of mechanised farming is needed to meet the targeted bumper harvest all-year round which inform the need for local production of tools and equipment and hence approval for the six institutes nationwide.
