The Federal Government has announced plans to establish agricultural mechanisation service centres across the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria as part of efforts to boost food security and promote sustainable agricultural practices. The initiative aims to enhance training, maintenance, and coordination of agricultural technology transfer among farmers to ensure long-term food sustainability in the country.
Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, disclosed this in Ilorin, Kwara State, on Tuesday during the 25th International Conference and 45th Annual General Meeting of the Nigerian Institution of Agricultural Engineers (NIAE). The event was themed “Standardisation and Promotion of Proven Technologies for Agricultural Production and Value Addition in Nigeria.”
Speaking at the conference, Senator Kyari explained that the government’s plan includes setting benchmarks that will guide the production, assembly, and use of agricultural machinery in Nigeria for years to come. He said, “Beyond acquisition, our focus remains on standardisation, local assembly and maintenance systems, ensuring that every machine deployed is fit for purpose and supported by skilled technicians.”
The Minister noted that Nigerian farmers deserve home-grown technologies developed with a clear understanding of the country’s unique farming conditions. “Our farmers deserve technologies that are developed with a deep understanding of our soils, our crops, our scale of farming, and the labour dynamics of our rural communities,” Kyari said.
He announced a partnership between the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, the National Centre for Agricultural Mechanisation (NCAM), and Tanta Motors of Egypt. According to him, this collaboration aims to support the local production and commercialisation of proven agricultural technologies.
Kyari stated, “The young mould-making machine, which was originally developed by NCAM here in Nigeria, serves as an example of what we can achieve even more through collaborations. The essence of NCAM Tanta Motors’ collaboration is to facilitate mass production and commercialisation of proven home-grown technologies.”
He revealed that the partnership had led to an improved version of the young mould-making machine, redesigned to function both as a mould-maker and a ridge-maker. He explained that the innovation would “give farmers the freedom to adopt which environment geometry that is most suitable for their region and preferred cultivation practice.”
Kyari said the collaboration would pave the way for local manufacturing and assembly of agricultural machinery in Nigeria, thereby promoting agricultural mechanisation and creating jobs. He added that the cooperation would also extend to other NCAM-developed technologies, including the mechanical weeder, cassava stem planter, grain and seed planter, and multi-crop thresher. “All of which are being prepared for standardisation and commercialisation under a joint NCA/TM branding arrangement,” the Minister added.
In his remarks, the National Chairman of the Nigerian Institution of Agricultural Engineers, Engr. Joshua Olaoye, urged Nigerian engineers and innovators to focus their expertise on producing affordable, adaptable, and locally made machinery that would serve the needs of smallholder farmers. He said smallholder farmers make up the majority of Nigeria’s agricultural population and are key to achieving food security.
“As we celebrate 50 years of dedicated service to the agricultural sector, let this gathering mark the dawn of a new era of purposeful engineering, one that translates ideas into implements, research into results, and technology into transformation,” Olaoye said. “Together, we shall drive the mechanisation revolution that Nigeria needs for food security, job creation, and national prosperity.”
Olaoye also highlighted the maiden National Agricultural Machinery Exhibition, jointly organised with NCAM, as an initiative aimed at bridging the gap between innovation and adoption. He said the exhibition was designed to showcase practical solutions that can help modernise Nigeria’s agricultural system.
Kwara State Governor and Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), Alhaji AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, in his address, emphasised the importance of agricultural innovation in addressing global food challenges. He said, “At a time when the world struggles to feed a growing population, gatherings like this light the path to Nigeria’s agricultural future through innovation and mechanisation.”
The Governor commended the organisers for fostering discussions that tackle critical issues such as climate change, the use of agricultural technology, and land management. “This gathering will definitely serve to share ideas about solutions to emerging issues, including the challenge of climate change, technology and global debate around GMOs, and the dynamic issues of land use among diverse economic groups,” AbdulRazaq said.
He added that Kwara State had already made significant progress in agricultural transformation. “In Kwara, we have mostly shifted agriculture from subsistence to full mechanisation, and your organisations have been the major enablers of this important leap,” the Governor stated.
