The Institute of Agricultural Research and Training (IAR&T), Moor Plantation, Ibadan, has organized the 2nd phase of a two-day Capacity Training on handling modern farming equipment for farmers and youths.

The training, which was sponsored by the Senate & House Committees on Agriculture, held on the 10th and 11th of February, 2021 at Prof. E.A Adebowale Training Hall, IAR&T, Ibadan.

Recall that CEOAFRICA reported the 1st phase of the training which was flagged off by the Executive Director of the Institute of Agricultural Research and Training (IAR&T), Moor Plantation, Ibadan, Prof. Mrs. Veronica Obatolu Adeoti, on the 9th and 10th of December, 2020 at Home Science Building, IAR&T, Ibadan.

Prof. Veronica during the 1st phase disclosed that the training was aimed at exposing the youths and farmers to modern farming techniques towards creating wealth and ensuring food security in the country.

She added that agriculture has contributed immensely to the economic growth of Nigeria, noting that for agriculture to grow, it has to be very competitive.

 “If we actually want our Agriculture to grow, it has to be very competitive, and one of the ways of making Nigeria Agriculture competitive is to reduce the cost of production.

“If we have to make sure we reduce the cost of products at its minimum, then we have to look for other alternative of reducing cost and that is how the issue of mechanization comes in.

“Therefore the capacity building program is a way of sensitizing the public towards adopting mechanization as a way of making Nigeria farming system competitive,” she stated.

In an exclusive interview with CEOAFRICA, the coordinator of the training, Engr. Dr. Adebayo Oke, also revealed that farming system has changed from the way it was many years ago.

He said “It is clear that we have to return to Agriculture at a good scale. We have to accept that farming system has changed. Gone are the days when farmers had to labour hard before they could get their agricultural produce.

“Of course the challenge younger people have with Agriculture has to do with the labour requirement. Whenever they hear farming equipment, they picture big and very expensive equipments. But there are small tools that can be used for agricultural practices.

“This Capacity building is to train our farmers on the basic use of small scale equipments, field operational equipments especially for agricultural production.”

He added that the training is to help farmers identify the farming equipments, how to get them and train them on the operations and maintenance of those equipments in order to enhance their farming practices.

Oke identified certain field operations such as seed planting, weeding, fertilizer application, herbicide application and host of others, which require a lot of efforts from farmers and youths, but can be effectively achieved by the modern farming tools.

He noted that the use of modern machines is important because they now make farming more easy and productive.

Beneficiaries of the capacity building revealed to CEOAFRICA that the capacity training has exposed them to series of farming mechanism.

They also expressed their gratitude to the Senate & House Committees on Agriculture for sponsoring the kind of enlightening training to both the farmers and the youths.

The effort of the host and organiser, IAR&T, was as well appreciated.

“The workshop has taught me things I should know about machines. Before buying or bringing any machines on my farm, questions like what am I using it for, the importance of the machine on my farm should be asked first.

“Also the kind of machine i need on my farm, how to use it and maintain it, are what I learnt from the programme. A very big thank you to the organisers,” Oseni Dolapo, a farmer, said.

Adekola Adewale, a farmer of Maize in Ibarapa East Local Government, also expressed his excitement and what he learnt from the training.

He said “I’m excited at the programme organised by IAR&T and I appreciate the Senate & House Committee on Agriculture for sponsoring this kind of programme on Agriculture.

“We are taught the use of modern machines to aid our farming. Here in this workshop, I was taught how I can use machine to put fertilizer on my farm; how I can use machine to plant maize, and all these, the practical was shown to us.”

The Senate are therefore implored to continue to sponsor training like this, which in the long run, will contribute to the improvement of Agriculture in the country.