Nigeria announces launch of agricultural mechanization project

A project to encourage food production in Nigeria is almost ready to be launched, as stated by the country's ambassador, Muhammad Makarfi Ahmad. The Green Imperative is a strategic partnership project between Nigeria and Brazil whose objective is the exchange of technology in tropical production and equipment such as tractors and implements from Brazil to the African country.

As the Ambassador highlights, Brazil is recognized worldwide as a food producer in a tropical environment and Nigeria has very similar characteristics to Brazil, “which is why it becomes the ideal partner for the exchange of technologies”, he states. Ahmad adds that the total resources allocated to the project are E$1,1 billion and are sourced from the Government of Nigeria and global private banks such as Deutche Bank. The ambassador also stated that all documentation relating to the transfer of this resource is already ready and signed. “This will allow us to start the Green Imperative at the end of the first quarter of this year”, he assured. 

Ambassador Ahmad took advantage of his visit to the fair to visit several stands, including LS Tractor, one of the companies supporting this initiative, where he was received by the Vice-President, André Rorato. The project also has a partnership with FGV Europa, the international arm of Fundação Getúlio Vargas, which will provide advice to the buyer of the products, so that they can have long-term profitability in their agricultural activity. The entity will assist the Nigerian producer in putting together a business plan which will include a study on the best crop to be produced and what profitability it will have within the next 10 years. “It is a program that allows the farmer to have a long-term vision, finding ways to make this activity very sustainable, which allows him to remain in the activity”, says Ahmad. The ambassador explained that when the farmer purchases a tractor or implement, the companies that are part of the program will assist the farmer throughout the process of learning to use the tool and also with post-sales technical assistance.