The Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive of the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), Prof. Mohammed Haruna, said that the agency is trying to revolutionise agriculture in the country to guarantee food security.
He said three countries – Czech Republic, the Hashmite Kingdom of Jordan and Italy – are to partner with Nigeria’s agriculture on food transivility and some Greenhouse implementation.
Haruna spoke in Lafia while conducting the Chief of Staff to the president, Prof Ibrahim Gambari, round the Agricultural Machinery and Equipment Development Institute (AMEDI).
The institute, which is for the North-Central, is currently under construction by NASENI.
Gambari, who spent two days in the state, was on an official working visit to assess the level of development of work going on at the institute.
Apart from Nasarawa State, the sites for other AMEDI institutes are Adamawa ( North-East), Kebbi (North West), Cross River (South-South), Imo (South-East) and Osun (South West).
In his address, NASENI EVC said the agency was focusing on how Nigeria will transit from community based economy to a manufacturing economy.
He said the agency’s inventions and technology tools will be applied to all aspects of our socio-economic endeavours.
He said: “NASENI is collaborating with partners from Hashmite Kingdom of Jordan, Czech Republic and Italy to equip this Institute and the other five Agricultural Machinery and Equipment Development Institute with state-of-the-art research and manufacturing facilities targeting the best and the highest technology in the world.
“All these are made possible by the grace of God and the deliberate priority of Agriculture by His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari. With these development all that is needed for modern farming in food processing, packing and preservation at to be locally produced by NASENI.
“ Science, Technology and Innovation have always been the sources of development and prosperity of all nations. The yardstick of measuring the willingness and readiness of Nigeria to transit from community based economy to a manufacturing economy is the degree to which NASENI’s role is applied to all aspects of our socio-economic endeavors.
“It is not magic but scientific. It was the method and it remains the only solution utilised by the developed world and the Asian tigers.
“NASENI is among the best legacies that President Muhammadu Buhari will be bequeathing to the next and subsequent administration in Nigeria.
Speaking to journalists shortly after conducting the Chief of Staff round the project site, Prof Haruna said
“It is our determination to see that by January/February next year, God’s willing, this place is commissioned because we have some of the machines we need to install and use for the operation of this institute.
“The good thing again, is that experts from the three collaborating countries have visited the site and made their own recommendation,. They have equally seen the progress of work”
On his part, Gambari said Gambari said the Agriculture Machinery and Development Institutes (AMEDI) will provide for the export of Nigerian agricultural products..
He said the value of the Agriculture Machinery Institute was to transform agriculture in the country.
He said: “We want to commend the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) for bringing into reality the concept which the Buhari administration approved for this institute sited in each of the six geopolitical zones of the country.
“We want to commend in particular the leadership of the NASENI for the commitment which we have seen in the foundation that by God’s grace, in January or February next year this will be inaugurated. I promise to report back to Mr. President, the enormous steps that have been taken to realize one of his key priorities of his administration.”
