Origin Tech, NALDA in pact to grow Nigeria’s agricultural productivity

In a bid to tackle food insecurity and transform Nigeria’s agricultural landscape, the National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA) has partnered with Origin Tech Group under the Greener Hope Large Scale Mechanisation Programme. This government-backed initiative aims to modernize Nigeria’s agricultural sector by providing farmers with access to advanced farming equipment and establishing model farms designed to promote best agricultural practices.

Through this collaboration, NALDA and Origin Tech Group seek to create job opportunities, enhance rural development, and address the rural-urban migration of Nigeria’s youth by boosting agricultural productivity. The programme focuses on transitioning small-scale farming into larger, mechanized operations, enabling farmers to increase yields and secure a more sustainable future for food production.

Cornelius Oluwasegun Adebayo, Executive Secretary of NALDA, stressed the significance of public-private partnerships in this transformative effort, while Musa Olasupo, Director of the Greener Hope Programme, outlined the programme’s long-term goal of making Nigeria agriculturally self-sufficient. The initiative also seeks to mitigate challenges such as insecurity, climate change, and smuggling that threaten the country’s food supply.

Samuel J. Samuel, Executive Chairman of Origin Tech Group, emphasized the partnership’s potential to unlock new opportunities in sustainable farming and significantly improve Nigeria’s agricultural productivity. By integrating mechanisation, land clearing, and model farm development, the Greener Hope Programme promises to provide modern solutions that can revolutionize the nation’s agricultural sector.
Source- Businessday

Expert Review for Agri-Food Stakeholders
The NALDA-Origin Tech Group collaboration under the Greener Hope programme represents a strategic move toward addressing some of Nigeria’s most pressing agricultural challenges. For agri-food stakeholders, this initiative marks a significant opportunity to leverage large-scale mechanisation, which has long been identified as a key driver of productivity in agriculture.

Mechanisation helps farmers move away from labor-intensive practices, reducing the cost of production while increasing efficiency. By providing access to modern machinery and establishing model farms, the Greener Hope programme fosters a transition from subsistence farming to a more commercially viable approach, which is essential for achieving food security and scaling agricultural operations.

One of the major benefits of this initiative is the focus on building agricultural hubs that can serve as centers of excellence for best farming practices. For stakeholders, these hubs not only act as learning platforms for farmers but also attract investments and resources necessary for the sustained growth of the agricultural value chain. This focus on training and capacity-building is particularly vital, as it creates a ripple effect where knowledge and resources are shared within communities, enhancing the productivity of surrounding farms.

Furthermore, the collaboration addresses a critical issue—post-harvest losses—by integrating solutions into the mechanisation framework. This is particularly relevant given that up to 40% of produce is lost after harvest in Nigeria due to inadequate processing and storage facilities. For stakeholders, reducing post-harvest losses is a direct pathway to increasing food availability and ensuring better returns on investment in the agri-food sector.

In addition to boosting food production, this initiative also tackles rural-urban migration by creating jobs and improving rural prosperity. This is an essential component for stabilizing Nigeria’s agricultural workforce, particularly among the youth, who are often drawn to cities due to a lack of opportunities in rural areas. For investors and policy-makers, supporting such programs aligns with broader economic goals of rural development and poverty reduction.

The Greener Hope Large Scale Mechanisation Programme presents a comprehensive approach to transforming Nigeria’s agricultural landscape. Stakeholders are encouraged to monitor its progress and explore opportunities for collaboration, as its success could serve as a blueprint for large-scale agricultural mechanisation and food security initiatives across Africa.