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Inject more funds into agric institutions, expert tells FG

An Agribusiness Consultant, Pastor Alloh Olaitan has called on the Federal Government to inject more fund into agric institutions for growth of the sector and boost researches .

This came on the backdrop of claims in some quarters that government established agricultural institutions and centres like National Centre for Agricultural Mechanization (NCAM), Food production Stored Institute among others are not doing enough to support farmers on mechanised agriculture in the country.

He made the call in an interview with Pilot Business in Ilorin, Kwara State on Thursday.

The consultant said, ” I agree that the research institutes or mechanize Agric centres that are available are not doing enough to as regards modern agriculture.

” They are not well known, in recent time I have had cause  to direct people to NCAM. This is an institution that has been in existence in this state for a very long time. NCAM is into some things  maybe it is not doing as much as it’s expected, but if it is well patronised it will will do more.

” One of the problems is that all these government institutions and centres have financial challenges. They don’t have enough money to carry out what they are suppose to  do and don’t forget there is a lot of politics in our system which breeds corruption.

“The people ruling us sometimes have interest in the system resulting to conflict. And when there is conflict it affects  management of these institutions,” he explained.

The consultant who runs Agro Nigerian Ventures limited stressed that some of the machines being imported from China can be fabricated in NCAM, therefore calling on government to look inwards.

According to him, a lot of people  are embracing agricultural practices hence need for the institutions to brace up to the challenges.

He said, ” How these people will get to know more about agriculture is by exposing them to the practices and knowledge through these institutes.

Olaitan then called on government at all levels to partner with Non Governmental Organizations to ensure provision of machineries, seedlings and fertilizer to farmers to boost food production in the country.

He said his agro business borders on agricultural input and equipment supply as well as training of agricultural graduates and general empowerment for people who are interested in agric business.

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