Heifer Nigeria’s Heifer Global Non-profit Organization inclined to support One Million Smallholder Agriculturalist out of Poverty by 2030

By Abdul Rahman Bangura–

Photo Credit: Wallpaperup

NEW AFRICA BUSINESS NEWS (NABN) Freetown, Sierra Leone – With the theme: “Youth and Technology: The future of Nigeria’s agriculture”, its Country Director – Rufus Idiris, let out during the National Economic (NES#27) in Abuja at the side event, announced though Nigeria is adored with enormous population of youths, it is not striking much into their creativeness.

Heifer, has subsidized hugely in youths to support them to be more pertained to and committed in agricultural sector transformation through technology. Idiris explained, the organization was striving to invest in Nigerian farmers, so as to utilize technology to reimagine farming and food production across the nation.

Moreover, the Heifer Regional Director – Adesuwa Ifedi, said for over four decades, Heifer International has been a trusted backer for smallholder farmers across Africa.

“Now, we’re eager to support them by combining the power of African youths with the many possibilities of emerging technologies, a transformative force in Nigeria,’’ Adesuwa Ifedi announced.

She intensified that, part of the global organization’s target is to boost 10 million households near the living income gap by 2030, enlarging that Heifer International has broadened its trace to Nigeria, and marked “our soft launch of Heifer Nigeria”. She acknowledged that Nigeria is very pivotal to terminating hunger and poverty in Africa. “If
we secure Nigeria’s future, then we have secured Africa’s future.”

According to her, to maintain our future there is an intense necessity to address the problems of food insecurity and vast food importation related with the underperformance of our agricultural sector and food system, high unemployment amongst youths, and diminishing economy.

“Our first Signature Programme for Nigeria is tagged “NAIJA UNLOCK”, intended for at unlocking Nigeria’s potential for food self-sufficiency, working with smallholder farmers and, market actors to fill local demands while closing the living income gap for families in selected value chains, starting with Tomato, Rice and Poultry and value chain.”

She asserted, twenty tractors have already been given to youths who would deploy them to boost farmers in the trials of agricultural lands across the country, as a first step. “Youth creativity and technology in agriculture would drive economic growth in Nigeria.

Heifer is a global development organization on a mission to end hunger and poverty in a sustainable way, through working with farmers, their communities and market system actors to identify and invest in business opportunities that deliver sustainable living incomes, inclusive and resilient economies.

For 77 years, Heifer International has assisted more than 36 million people in 21 countries in Africa, Asia, and the Americas, including the United States to end hunger and poverty”, Ifedi let out.

The Honorable Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Mohammed Abubakar, who similarly talked during the side-event through his Director, Federal Department of Agric Extension, Frank Satumari Kudla, ensured Heifer Nigeria of a facilitative operating atmosphere to accomplish its plans that eventually, effect in transforming the face of agriculture, generate employments and poverty reduction with the deployment of the latest technology in Nigeria.

He said Nigeria has large spectra of fertile farmlands laying fallow across the nation. Nigeria has one of the biggest expenses of land in Africa of which 70% is accessible for farming. And according to him, Nigeria Government is wildly swiveling notoriety to improving farming in Nigeria to help strengthen food productions in the country and
minimize food importation. The government is willing to assist any would-be farming entrepreneur with the essential supports and logistics.

“Nigerians boasts of highest purchasing power in Africa. The food used for parties and merriments in Nigeria can feed four other African countries. By the time Nigeria attain its full capacity utilization in agriculture, farming will become a great foreign currency earning more than oil. The implication is that Nigeria farmers will be able to earn in
Naira and Dollars as well as other foreign currencies.

The participation of youth in agriculture is imperative for the fact that the hope and aspiration of a nation rest on them. The youth are the largest energetic, active and productive segment of the human resource of any community. Therefore, it is necessary to recognize their role in developmental activities, ” the Minister let out.

For New Africa Business News (NABN) Abdul Rahman Bangura Reports,  Africa Correspondent