Nigerian agric engineers call for local solutions to economic challenges

The Nigerian Institution of Agricultural Engineering (NIAE) have called for homegrown solutions to be used in tackling the present economic situation in which the country finds itself.

The National Chairman, NIAE, Prof. Joshua Olaoye, made this call on Tuesday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

Olaoye, a Professor with the Department of Agriculture and Biosystems Engineering, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, said that there was no nation that had developed without first looking inwards.

“The present economic situation of the country requires that we employ homegrown solutions. Local problems require local solutions.

“The solutions to Nigeria’s problems are not beyond Nigerians.

“We have over the years developed institutions that have the wherewithal to help us address our problems if only we give them the opportunity and provide them an enabling environment.

“The people to provide the solutions are already available within the country, if only we give them a chance,” the don said.

Olaoye said that the institution was not happy with the goings-on in the country, adding that as a body of proven professionals they were seeking to help give directions to some of government policies.

He urged government at all levels to give listening ears to professionals within the country, saying that these professionals could use their wherewithal to turn around the fortunes of the country.

Olaoye said that it had been in the news that government planned to import 2000 tractors annually for five years to boost agricultural mechanisation. He stressed that this was definitely not the way to go about improving agriculture.

“When we have professionals that know what to do, why do we need to bring in imported machines and imported hands.

“We have a National Centre for Agricultural Mechanisation in Ilorin, which has successfully produced tractors. Why don’t we challenge our professionals there to produce 50 tractors every year, and provide the necessary enabling environment.

“If we do that, by now we will have Nigerian-produced tractors all over the place, with jobs created for Nigerians. And if there are problems, the centre is within reach to effect repairs,” the NIAE chairman said.

Also speaking with NAN, Prof. Folarin Alonge, a past Chairman of the NIAE and Dean, Faulty of Engineering, University of Uyo, noted that the institution believed that Agriculture was the mainstay of Nigeria’s economy.

Alonge, however, said that a problem bedeviling the nation was inconsistency in its policies. He noted that sometime during the previous administration, the borders were closed to rice importation, which resulted in tremendous increase in local rice production.

He stated: “The border closure really helped such that homegrown innovations arose such as the rice de-stoner machine but now the borders are opened again and all the gains we recorded in local rice production has been eroded off.”

Alonge said that Nigerians especially the government and politicians should learn to tame their thirst for foreign goods, and patronise made-in- Nigeria goods. He stressed that this was the way to help professionals as well as develop the country.

The past NIAE chairman noted that Innoson Motors existed in Nigeria and they had really improved in their vehicle production but the government preferred to spend billions on imported Toyotas from China. He urged that professionals in the country should be given the chance to implement and showcase their capabilities.