The Institute of Agricultural Research and Training (IAR&T), Moor Plantation, Ibadan and Alritrix Integrated Limited, Abuja has organized a two day Capacity Training on handling modern farming equipment, in collaboration with Bova-Agro Nigeria Limited.
The training which was sponsored by the Senate & House Committees on Agriculture is holding on 9th and 10th of December, 2020 at Home Science Building, IAR&T, Ibadan
The Executive Director of the Institution, Prof. Mrs. Veronica Obatolu Adeoti ably represented by the Deputy Director, Dr Olaide Saka disclosed that the training was aimed at exposing the youths to modern farming techniques towards creating wealth and ensuring food security in the country.
Obatolu noted that Agriculture has contributed immensely to the economic growth of Nigeria, adding that for agriculture to grow, it has to be very competitive.
“If we actually want our Agriculture to grow, it has to be very competitive, and one of the ways of making Nigeria Agriculture competitive is to reduce the cost of production.”
If we have to make sure we reduce the cost of products at its minimum, then we have to look for other alternative of reducing cost and that is how the issue of mechanization comes in,” she said.
Speaking further, she said the capacity building program is a way of sensitizing the public towards adopting mechanization as a way of making Nigeria farming system competitive.
In an interview with CEOAFRICA, the Deputy Director of IAR&T noted that technology inventors over the years have been able to design the equipments that can be used by small holder farmers.
He however said for Nigeria to diversity its economy and the problem of unemployment, especially among the youths, government at all levels need to shift focus from oil to agricultural sector, maintaining that Agriculture has contributed greatly to the growth of the economy.
The Bursar of the Institute, Mr. Fadipe while speaking, said there is need to encourage the youths to come into agriculture.
“The only way we can encourage them is by introducing the new farming implements so that they can also join the raise. This is why Joint Committee have organize this training for farmers so that we can know how to make use of the implements,” he posited.
Engineer Atah Adekunle Temidayo, one of the lectures while speaking with CEOAFRICA, said Agriculture has gone beyond the traditional method of farming, noting that the world is moving towards agriculture.
He said “Agriculture is now a system where modern tools are involved, in terms of planting, harvesting and processing.”
Adekunle posited that the essential of the training is to develop more competent of farmers on how to use modern day technology, tools and equipments in the operation of their farming.
He disclosed that they have been able to train people and make them to understand how to make decisions, the factors to be considered in the selecting the appropriate tractors for different farm operations which are basically good for the farm operations.
According to him, as a farmer the three basic tractors needed for farming are; real tractor, power tillers, collars tractors.
On the maintenance, he advised that the as a farmer, that he should check the farm tractors fuel level before entering the field to work, knowing the type of lubricant they are using on their Tractors matters.
Speaking with CEOAFRICA, one of the participants, Odunola Olajide described the training as informative and enlightened, though he’s not farmer but with this training, he will be going into farming soon.
He added that the session has helped him in using farm equipment and how to maintain the implements being introduced to them.
