The Turkish government has disclosed that it will invest $15 million in the Nigerian agricultural sector over the next two years.
Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development, Hon Mustapha Baba Shehuri, who disclosed this when he received a Turkish investment delegation led by the Commercial Counsellor, Turkish Embassy in Nigeria, Mr Onur Akgul in his office, yesterday, expressed his gratitutde to the government of Turkey for the gesture.
Shehuri said that, prior to the discovery of crude oil, agriculture was the main source of revenue generation in Nigeria, but unfortunately it was abandoned due to the easy resources realised from the oil sector.
The minister acknowledged the fact that Nigeria stand to gain more from Turkey experience in the Agricultural Value Chain having progressed exceedingly in the sector over the years.
Shehuri pointed out that there are a lot of areas of collaboration between Nigeria and the Turkish government like subsistence and mechanised intervention farming in order to achieve food security for the development of the country.
He assured members of the delegation, the full support of the ministry, adding that the ministry will come up with a document that will guide all investors in the agricultural sector and help both the investors and the government achieve the desired goal.
The minister promised that a portal will be created where all the information needed by the investors about the achievement of the ministry and its agencies will be provided.
In his remarks, the director Planning and Policy Coordination in the ministry, Alhaji Zubairu Abdullahi, said that the intention of the delegation to invest in the Nigerian agricultural sector is a welcome idea, but need to understand that manual farming is still partly the process in the country. He said the country need improvement on farming implements for the rural farmers.
Earlier in his address, the Turkish commercial counsellor, Mr Onur Akgul, thanked the minister for the opportunity given to them to invest in the country, adding that they are going to invest 15 million dollars on areas like the mobile solar system, mechanisation, skill training, food supply security, agricultural infrastructure and rural development within two years of commencement of the collaboration.