• Demand zero import duty on farm equipment
In line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s declaration of state of emergency on food security, the Federal Government has partnered 20 international Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) to boost farmers access to mechanised equipment in the country.
The Chairman of Eurobase Consult, the lead partner of the OEMs company, Don Ekesiobi, said the partnership is necessary to bring the equipment closer to Nigerians and to boost food security.
Ekesiobi, who disclosed this at a press conference ahead of the Special Agro Equipment and Technology Expo organised in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, noted that the two-day stakeholders engagement to be held in Abuja, is aimed at tackling food crisis in Nigeria.
According to him, agricultural mechanisation is the key to attracting youths to farming, adding that industrialised nations are far ahead because of mechanised farming.
Speaking on the affordability of the equipment, he mentioned that in oversea countries, prices of the equipment are still the same like it was two to three years ago, noting that the problem of exchange rate in Nigeria has made the prices high.
Ekesiobi added that the clearing process at the sea ports have made the prices to be high and urged the government to make farm mechanised equipment to be exempted from import tariff payment, at least for the next two years for Nigeria to achieve food security.
He further mentioned that many of their partners have solutions to tackle challenges bedeviling farmers in the different agricultural sectors, saying the mechanised farming equipment their partners are showcasing include irrigation, production, processing, export among others.
