By Dayo Omoogun
An 18-member committee saddled with implementing the Green Imperative Programme of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture has been inaugurated. The inauguration by the Minister of Agricultue and Rural Development , Alhaji Sabo Nanono, took place in Abuja on Friday.
The programme which centres on the mechanization of agriculture in the country, is to be funded by the Brazilian Government through a loan from the Deutsche Bank, Development Bank of Brazil and Islamic Development Bank.
The programme envisages the acquisition of 10,000 tractors and 50,000 assorted equipment which will be locally assembled and is targeted at benefitting 100,000 young Nigerian farmers directly and 5 million indirectly.
The package also includes a 10-year training programme for project beneficiaries as well as the establishment of 780 service centres to provide such support services as soil preparation, crops cultivation and harvesting of farm produce, for small holder farmers across the nation.