Institution Urges Local Fabrication Of Farm Implements

The Nigerian Institution of
Mechanical Engineers (NIMechE), has said that local fabrication of machines was a dependable means for providing the nation’s farmers with affordable farming machines and equipment.
The Chairman of the Abuja Chapter of the institution, Mr. Aderemi Adegbola, stated this in Abuja on Monday during a news conference.
Adegbola said that it was unfortunate that most of the farmers in the country were still engaged in subsistence farming, while those involving in mechanised farming were using imported equipment.
“Until we begin to produce equipment locally, it would not be affordable for our local farmers. These days, nobody wants to do farming with the crude methods of our forefathers, everybody wants to use machines for ridges, to plant and harvest but when you cannot afford these machines you will be forced to use manual labour,” he said. Adegbola said that the country would not be able to produce enough food to feed the populace, without using the mechanised method of farming.
“Most of the industrialised nations of the world like China, U.S. and others are highly involved in mechanised agriculture and that is why they can produce food and agricultural materials in large quantities to feed their people. A poorly fed nation will definitely have a poor economy because hungry people cannot think properly about ways of improving of the economy,” he said.
He said the Abuja chapter of the institute has held its annual general meeting at the Nicon Luxury Hotel, Abuja.
AGM in Abuja expressed the hope that the conference with the theme: “Agricultural Mechanisation and Food Security in Nigeria”, would encourage engineers to start manufacturing machines locally.
“Our focus for the event was to look at the role mechanical engineers in Nigeria can play to provide equipment that will improve the capacity and outputs of our farmers. It is also to came up with ideas on how we could collaborate with our farmers and also help them in mechanised agriculture. When you have mechanised farming, the cost of farming will reduce and people can buy food at affordable prices and the nation will be the better for it,” he said.
He added that the meeting strives to strengthen the relationship among members; elect its new executive members and brief the public on its activities and achievements.
Adegbola said that within the institution’s one year of existence, it had made some remarkable achievements in line with its objective and vision to improve on the well being of the Nigerian society.
In this drive the society carried out industrial visits to the Geregu Thermal Power Plant, Ajaokuta Steel Complex and the Nigeria Gas Company, Warri, in the drive to assist the government in finding solutions to the problems of the power plants in the country.