The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) is set to partner with the Republic of Czech to develop Nigeria’s Agricultural sector.
NASENI’s Executive Vice Chairman, Prof. Mohammed Haruna, announced this during the ground-breaking ceremony of the Agricultural Machinery and Development Institute (AMEDI) yesterday in Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital.
Haruna further said the siting of AMEDI in the state, was part of the directives President Muhammadu Buhari gave to the agency to revolutionize farming and food processing through modern technology.
The NASENI boss said the agency had succeeded in the development of some relevant equipment and machines in the food value chain – from cultivation to planting, weeding, harvesting, post-harvesting, and food preservation.
He said: “This institute is mandated to build on this success and serve as a pilot site for the implementation of the agreement between Nigeria and the Czech Republic on agriculture, as approved by President Buhari for the Presidential Implementation Committee.
“Working with the Technology Agency of Czech Republic, NASENI and AMEDI Lafia will research, develop the equipment, and train ordinary Nigerians and professionals in agriculture, food production, harvest and post-harvest, processing technologies, food preservation, and packaging. It will also process agricultural waste into renewable energy among others.”
Also, the Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, who was represented by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and Development Strategies, Ambassador Abdullahi Omaki, assured Nigerians that the present administration would continue to leverage science and technology to drive agricultural development across the country.
