In a bid to enhance farmer productivity, the National Centre for Agricultural Mechanisation (NCAM), has urged smallholder farmers to embrace new technologies at the disposal of the centre.
The Acting Executive Director of the centre, Dr AbdulGafar Rasheed-Kamal, made the call, while briefing journalists on Monday. He said that the centre had infact commenced the production of tractors and other farm implements for smallholder farmers.
“Over 80 per cent of food produced in Nigeria, including those for export, are produced by small holder farmers who lack modern implements to attain food sufficiency, therefore the development would also help achieve national food security,” he stated.
Rasheed-Kamal noted that the NCAM had commenced the production of several farm implements to aid farm produce in line with the mandate of the federal government, through the centre. His words: “As we are talking now, most of these small holder farmers still employ traditional tools for their operations, which normally bring low productivity.” “The NCAM was established by the Federal Government to mechanise the agricultural processes in terms of production, post harvest as well as processing.” The director disclosed that the centre had developed a lot of mechanised technologies to assist farmers to increase production, including land cultivation equipment like mini tractors, planters and harvesters. “The number of tractors in Nigeria is very minimal when compared to number of farmers on ground, hence there is need for local development of tractors,” he said.
He further noted that the centre had made available yam planters which could plant over 2,000 heaps and other implements which were hired by farmers at affordable fares. He however lamented that the raw materials for the production of tractors and other farm implements by the centre are extremely expensive as there is no waiver for them in terms of tariff. Rasheed-Kamal called on the National Assembly to enact a bill that will make materials for producing agricultural implements free from tariff.
