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Dr. Yomi Kasali, acting director, National Centre for Agricultural Mechanisation (NCAM), Ilorin, has expressed the readiness of the centre to train and equip young farmers in response to the challenges of food needs of Nigeria.
Kasali, yesterday, in a chat with The Guardian called for large scale introduction of modern seedlings into the nation’s agricultural sector, as a way of boosting yields and strengthening the nation’s capacity to export agricultural produce.
“We are more prepared than before to support the changed vision of the present government, especially in the area of diversifying the economy from a mono oil dependent economy to other areas like agriculture and manufacturing.
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“We have the personnel and the facilities. The NCAM will like to make overtures to some state governments as well, especially those that had authorised their workers to combine farming with their job schedules.”
Already, the centre has embarked on open display of many of the agricultural tools and machines designed and fabricated by its engineers and fabricators with the aim of introducing mechanized farming in the country.
Most of the machines said to be affordable to both large scale and peasant farmers, are according to the NCAM boss designed for the needs of Nigerian farmers vis a vis the commonly grown cash crops, tubers and grains in the country.
