All Farmers Association of Nigeria, AFAN, has entered into collaboration with a United States based college, Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture, NCTA, Curtis, Nebraska, USA, on agricultural training for the Nigerian farmers while also introducing them to some farming equipment, which are not currently available in the country. The training and capacity building programme is to take place at Yaba College of Technology, YABATECH, Yaba, Lagos.
The partnership, which was being facilitated by AFAN, Lagos chapter, was to train Nigerian farmers and technicians in order to promote agriculture in the area of handling and maintenance of agricultural equipment.
According to the AFAN Chairman, Otunba Femi Oke, not only the farmers would benefit from the programme, the student of Yaba College of Technology would also be beneficiaries as many of them would be enrolled into the programme.
The representative of NCTA, and the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of SSA Farm Technologies, Inc., Mr. Kofi Amoabin during a parley with AFAN, Lagos Chapter in YABATECH, Lagos said the training was necessary in order to boost agriculral activities in the country.
He explained that Nigerian farmers lost greater percentage of their harvest due to lack of equipment and infrastructure and lack of training on the use of the available equipment. He said the College would design a course for the farmers under the umbrella of All Farmers Association of Nigeria, AFAN, as well as all other participants. He also said that they might have the opportunity to travel to United States of America to get a diploma or a degree and be further introduced to the more sophisticated agricultural equipment.
He added that the institution has got the permission from the USA Department of Education, to design programmes for students and farmers. With this development, he declared that the transfer of skill to Nigeria would make agriculture better in the country.
Amoabin noted that agriculture needed technicians to store and maintain equipment to prevent breakdown for its successful practice in any society.
Source: nationalmirroronline
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