The federal government has signed a €995 million deal with the Brazilian government, and the German Deutsch Bank Group to implement the Green Imperative Programme in Nigeria.
Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, said the Green Imperative Programme is aimed at creating mechanisation hubs across the 774 local government areas.
The minister disclosed this in Minna, Niger State’s capital at a ceremony to launch the Food Security and Agricultural Mechanisation Programme of the state, on Monday March 11. The programme was attended by President Bola Tinubu and several state governors.
Kyari said; “memorandum of understanding between the Federal Government and the John Deer Group, a subsidiary of Tata Equipment, was signed.
“The manufacturer has signed to deliver 10,000 units of tractors and implement in tranches of 2,000 units per annum for the next five years.
“The Greener Hope Initiative is another veritable platform the federal government is deploying to ultimately change the deficit narrative in the Nigerian agricultural mechanisation space,’’ he said.
Niger state governor, Mohammed Umar Bago said four states; Benue, Kogi, Kwara, and Lagos have signed memoranda of understanding on building partnerships for the development of the agricultural sector.
“For us, agriculture is key to addressing the challenges in critical sectors of our economy, and we shall seize every opportunity for the attainment of growth and engender prosperity for the people of our beloved state and by extension our country,” Bago said.
