The Nigeria Institution
of Agricultural Engineers (NIAE) has
called for the implementation
of mechanization and digitalization of agriculture to serve
as a key to unlocking the
nation's economy and that of
Akwa Ibom.
The Association, in a ninepoint communiqua, at the close
of its first State Conference,
Exhibition and the NIAE
Week, noted that for Akwa
Ibom to compete favourable
with contemporaries in the
drive to mechanize agriculture,
a Directorate of Engineering
Services must be created in the
Ministry of Agriculture.
The communiqua noted
that the creation of the Directorate would enable Agricultural Engineers to function
optimally by directly coordinating engineering-based
functions particularly in the
areas of machinery development; development of sustainable post-harvest system; development of farm and rural
structures; as well as soil and
environmental engineering
concern in the state.
The group also called on
the Federal and State Governments to encourage local production of food to mitigate the
effect of possible food crisis
by the first quarter of 2021.
It also emphasized the need
for government to encourage
entrepreneurial drive in the
area of machinery production
to ensure pre-to post-harvest
operations, in addition to providing grants to local fabricators and other capacity development opportunities to enhance high productivity in
agriculture.
The communiqua noted that
inconsistencies in policies and
poor implementation has impaired development of the agricultural sector in the state and
country.
It maintained that increased
rate of food importation was
not a sustainable option based
on the present economic realities, noting that the ugly development has plunged the
country into a second recession in five years.
The communiqua also
called for the adoption of innovation and entrepreneurial
development in the agricultural
value chain to serve as bridge
between poverty and high rate
of unemployment.
On the proposed $1.2 billion loan sought by the Federal Government from Brazil,
the communiqua noted that it
should be properly deployed
to help solve local problems
with local solutions.
It noted that the idea of reinvesting about 80 percent of
the credit facility from Brazil for
machinery production should
be reviewed for the empowerment of a research centres, like
the Nigeria Centre for Agricultural Mechanization (NCAM)
and others, to produce some
of the machines, using local
materials and technology that
suits the same purpose.
The communiqua noted
with delight the numerous initiatives adopted by the Akwa
Ibom government to boost
food production, pointing out
that the establishment of the
St. Gabriel Coconut Oil Factory, Ibom Agricon Rice Factory, Kings Flour Mills and The
Greenhouse, among others,
have great potentials of creating jobs for thousands of unemployed youths.
It described as timely and
commendable the steps taken
by the Akwa Ibom government
in partnering the World Bank
to tackle gully erosion devastating parts of Urua Udofia and
Etim Okon Usanga Streets in
Uyo, the state capital.
The communiqua noted
that COVID-19 pandemic has
presented a realistic opportunity for Nigeria to find creative
solutions to our food security
challenges and recommended
that a strategic roadmap and
policy framework should be
developed on a short-mediumlong term basis for mechanization of agriculture in Akwa
Ibom and Nigeria.
LbgBaida , January 24, 2021
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