The determination of the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration to achieve food security was further boosted as the Nigerian Agricultural Mechanization & Leasing Company (NAMEL) has signed a joint Memorandum of Agreement with the Tractor Owners & Operators Association of Nigeria (TOOAN) & the Tractors Owners & Hiring Facilities Association of Nigeria (TOHFAN) on a private sector-driven mechanization programme.
The key objectives of the NAMEL/ TOHFAN-TOOAN joint MoA is to effectively make mechanized services available, accessible and affordable to Nigerian farmers through a public private partnership; to increase yields per hectare and move closer to attaining national food security.
Speaking at the ceremony, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh said: “The government cannot manage a tractor hiring business as effectively as a Public Private Partnership – PPP initiative such as the NAMEL and MSPs Partnership.
“We are giving NAMEL every support to ensure they succeed. And let me reiterate that until we sort out our food production problem, nothing will work”
In his remarks, CEO, Nigerian Agricultural Mechanization & Equipment Leasing Company, NAMEL – Dr. Ahmed Adekunle said: “Through this partnership, we hope to not only deliver equipment to our farmers but to also build local capacity to operate, maintain and maximize their use.
“We remain committed to this and together we can change our mechanization narratives”
Also speaking, President of TOOAN, Engr. Bitrus Yakubu said, with Nigeria’s increasing population/food demand, traditional farming methods are inadequate hence the need for innovation.
He commended the efforts of the Muhammadu Buhari-led administration to enhance mechanization service delivery to Nigerian farmers.
Also speaking, President, TOHFAN, Alhaji Danladi Garba highlighted how far they have come since inception with only 9 tractors.
“In 2003 when we started, we had only 9 tractors, today we have 552 tractors and we hope to increase the number through this PPP”
He expressed delight in the role his organisation is playing in the agricultural revolution happening in Nigeria.
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