Nigeria must accord priority to agriculture technology development to boost the nation’s agriculture sector, organisers of the upcoming Aviana Nigeria International Expo 2018 say.

Segun Makanjuola, Assistant Country Project Manager, Aviana Agritech Service, who says Nigeria is under-developed in agriculture technology was the gap addressed by stakeholders in the sector.

Makanjuola says that technology is helping to drive agriculture in other countries and wants Nigeria to go that way for improved results, while speaking at a press conference in Lagos on the Aviana Nigeria International Expo 2018.

“Some of us that have travelled round the globe have seen the way agriculture is practiced technologically. We need to import these ideas and technology, to blend with our traditional competence. Because when we begin to do things the right way, it shortens time for good result. When we make little or no mistakes, we get better result in a short while.

“Before the boost of the commercialisation of agriculture started, hoes and cutlasses, do little. Now with improved technology, tractors come in what we can plough one hour with a tractor, 100 people will not do it with their hoes and cutlasses”, according to Makanjuola.

The Aviana Assistant Country Project Manager disclosed that over time, security of the country has been an issue but a lot of programmes still thrive and people are missing opportunities because Nigeria has potential in agriculture businesses.

The expo is in partnership with Fishery Society of Nigeria, Poultry Association of Nigeria, feed mills manufacturers association of Nigeria, Crop life Nigeria, Catfish Association of Nigeria, ECOWAS Farmers Association of West Africa, all Farmers Association of Nigeria, Animal Science Association of Nigeria. Also, it has Premier Feed Mill, the producers of Top feeds brand and Olam group, the producers of chicken and aqualis feeds, according to him.

Makanjuola says that Aviana Africa expo gave birth to Aviana Nigeria expo and has been in existence in other countries of Africa for years in Kenya, Uganda, India and South AfricaA

On the issue of enhancing the development of agriculture, he says because of the importance of Nigeria in African agribusiness, the organisation decided to come to the country to network with stakeholders and their products in agriculture and agribusiness to other part of the world.

The expo will offer a unique productive B2B opportunity between the world’s leading agricultural and agribusiness stakeholders, companies, farmers, government agencies, farmers group and NGO’s to formulate policies and business opportunity that will enhance the development of agriculture, encourage investment, international trade, market networking , skills acquisition and technical-know-how, according to organisers.

Also speaking, Mr. Matthew Asuelimen,the National Sale Manager, Olam Group says that the company has been trading and exporting grains all over West Africa, and some parts of Europe and America.

“The Company took a bold step to invest in aquaculture and livestock business in Nigeria since 2015 by investing in two stages of the art manufacturing facilities in Kaduna and Ilorin. Today, Olam boast of having total capacity of 600,000 metric tonnes per annum, producing livestock feed from these two plants”, Asuelimen says.