Federal Government is currently training officers of the Nigerian Airforce on agri-business ventures at their Abuja headquarters. The training is focused on preparing the officers for post-life experience after the defence service.
Apart from post-service life experience in agri-venture, the Air-force personnel are also being exposed in the training to give them options in specific areas of interests in agriculture.
Azeez Olumuyiwa the director at the department of Agri-business and marketing at the federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development implored the officers to explore advantages in the economic diversification that the agricultural sector offers.
“Nigeria still imports lots of its staple food such as Millet, maize, Sorghum, wheat, Maize, Sugar cane, Rice, Cowpeas, soybeans, cotton. Already the federal government is supporting farmers in various states across the country through the Central Bank’s Anchor Borrowers programme. The ministry of Agriculture is prepared to guide you through in this process and assist you with market linkages, “he said.
He adds that with the increasing population of Nigeria, Nigerian farmers are at an advanatge given the high demands that would be made of their products.
Winifred Ochinyabo, Senior Special Adviser to the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development said the Ministry is ready and determined to support willing officers who are ready to go into agri-business.
“The Nigerian Air Force is at a position of advantage to Agriculture. With deployment of Air Force infrastructure for Crop dusting and similar practices, the proposed one hectare- one family and triple C barrack programmes {crop cultivation competition}, Agriculture on a large scale, which is our best option, can be taken to the next level”she adds.
Nigeria’s population is constantly growing, and with analysts projecting 450 million by 2050. High demand on food is gradually becoming a source of worry to the government, as a result of $22 billion spent on food importation annually which is not sustainable.
Air Vice Marshal Sadiq Baba Abubakar, the Chief of Air Staff represented at the training by Lawal Shittu Alao told newsmen that already young officers are increasingly embracing agriculture. He assured that the Airforce personnel would key into Federal government’s diversification through Agriculture.
