FG Solicits Use Of Tricycles To Ease Drudgery For Smallholder Farmers – Minister

The Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development, Hon. Mustapha Baba Shehuri has solicited the use of tricycles to ease transportation for smallholder farmers across the country stating that it would ensure easy movement of Food and Agro-Allied products, increase production and generate wealth for Nigerian farmers.

He stated that Nigeria’s Agricultural sector has huge potential to drive the country’s economy which is in line with the diversification policy of President Muhammadu Buhari’s Administration. According to Shehuri, the market is massive across the value Chain and it will enable us achieve food sufficiency and export Agricultural products “.

Speaking during a courtesy visit by the President of All Farmers Association of Nigeria ( AFAN) Alhaji Farouk, Mudi, Representatives of Bulk Stalker Nigeria Ltd and Sounghor Motors, South Korea, today, Tuesday 5 April, 2022, in his office, Hon. Mustapha Baba Shehuri noted that the use of Tricycles by the smallholder farmers in communities across the country would ease means transportation, ensure that food and agro- allied products arrive the nearby market fresher and increase income of the smallholder farmers.

Shehuri urged AFAN and their partners to ensure that the tricycles match the specification of the smallholder farmers stating that “there is no point bringing in tricycles without input by the end users, please the smallholder farmers must have Inputs for the initiative to achieve its objectives and goals”.

The Minister tasked the Association to ensure that there is synergy between the Federal, State and Local Governments in carrying out their Programme ‘’ there should be robust collaboration between the three tiers of government and AFAN, because all the relevant stakeholders must streamline policies and programmes to achieve food and nutrition security and boost the economy’’.

In his welcome address, the President, All Farmers Association of Nigeria, ( AFAN), Alhaji Farouk Mudi noted that ‘’the Association with its partner Buck Stalker Nigeria Ltd will provide 500,000 units of tricycles which will create direct and indirect employment for over 2 million members of AFAN, empowering youth and farmers to reduce stress and cost of transportation of produce and in turn reduce the cost of food items’’.

He added that ‘’registered farmers could access this loan after opening accounts and being certified, whereas, one of our collaborators will manage the issuance and management of the vehicles unit while the beneficiary pays off the loan’’

He also informed that their partner Buck Stalker Nigeria Ltd ” will establish assembly plants across the Six Geo- Political zones. This will create employment opportunities for teeming youth’’.

In another event that took place in the Ministry, the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Ernest Umakhihe, received the Participants of the Senior Executive Course (SEC) No. 44(2022), of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru, Plateau State.

The Participants were in the ministry to discuss the Mandate, Functions and Activities of the Ministry and the theme of study for the SEC. 44, 2022 approved by Mr. President is – “Strengthening Local Governance in Nigeria: Challenges, Options and Opportunities”.

He stated that ‘’ the Agricultural sector is doing it’s best to partner with states and local governments in the implementation of projects and programmes, because agriculture in Nigeria is traditionally a business deeply rooted in the local communities.

He informed that ‘’ the Ministry had created a forum for routine meetings with State Commissioners of Agriculture to share experiences and address common challenges. It is our plan to extend it to the local governments as well’’.

In another event also presided over by the Permanent Secretary, a delegation of Ghanaian members of Parliament who are on study tour on how Nigeria deregulated Pod Borer Resistant Cowpea, led by representative of Africa Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) West Africa Dr. Onyekachi Francis Nwankwo, was recieved in audience.

Dr. Ernest Umakhihe stated that ‘’ the ministry has the mandate to make Nigeria a net provider of food to the global community through the promotion of agricultural development and management of natural resources to achieve sustainable food security, enhance farmer income and reduce poverty.

He informed that Nigeria and Africa at large, have a very huge population that depends on beans daily for their source of plant protein, and over the years farmers have been battling with various insect pests of beans that grossly impact negatively to their livelihood.

He pointed out that ‘’ the deliberate attempt by scientists and their collaborating partners have resulted in the release of cowpea variety which will continue to impact positively on farmers livelihood, adding that the high yield performance of the pod borer variety has resulted in high demand for seeds by farmers which is a testimony of its acceptability in the country’’.

In his remark the representative of AATF West Africa Dr. Onyekachi Francis Nwankwo said that “the major aspect of the research work is the pod borer cowpea and AATF have embark on a lot of developmental project and product in Nigeria following its mandate to developed agricultural technology in Africa”.