Mr. Promise Amahah, Director-General of the Nigeria Young Farmers Network (NYFN), believes that research, technology, and creativity are critical for increasing agricultural mechanization and improving crop yield and the entire value chain.
During an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Abuja, Amahah urged farmers to accept the vast possibilities of mechanized farming practices to achieve maximum productivity.
Amahah, who is also the Chief Executive Officer of MainstayAgro, believes that incorporating science and technology is critical if Nigerian farmers meet and surpass the internationally recognized benchmark for best agricultural practices.
“It should be understood that evidence of scientific and technological inclusion will dramatically increase a farmer’s and his product’s understanding and acceptance in a group of like-minded professionals and consumers.”
“This evidence is immediately obvious upon the presentation of his harvest.’’
He believes that incorporating modern science and technical support systems into agriculture could significantly increase crop yield productivity.
“However, not everyone knows that beyond crop yield and increased farm produce, technology and innovative applications of science can overhaul and improve the general standard and value chain of agriculture on a larger scale.’’
He emphasized agricultural technical advancements that might make a difference between one line of farming goods and another.
He went on to say that such a discrepancy would decide the market value of the product as well as the cultivator’s overall credibility.
According to him, agricultural produce’s necessary value markers will be encapsulated into four categories: planting, storage, manufacturing, and transportation (for consumption).
Other significant markers found by him include species/crop type and customer preference.
“In terms of agriculture, crop yield is unquestionably the first benefit of incorporating scientific and technical advances.
“Harvesting technology improves results with less workforce, saving resources and time in the mechanical process. This speeds up the time between harvesting and use. Damage to perishable crops is minimized since they are retrieved within safe timing.
“In storage, science and technology take the lead.
“Based on the record, farmers storing their farm produce in technologically-competent environments report fewer losses as the harvested produce are kept in the best conditions required.
“A single miscalculation in the storage process alone can completely ruin an entire farm’s yield.
“This is not a myth. Only best-fit storage conditions that apply to a specific crop are artificially produced using science and constructive technologies to conserve that crop’s essence.
“This is a sensitive step as farmers and consumers know everyone would place a natural premium on food items that appear to have been well stored, and that is a win.’’
He went on to say that no amount of human labor would compete with the use of machinery in the processing of farm produce.
Time was saved, and commonly anticipated results were realized, according to the CEO, with new technology introductions into agro-processing.
“In processing farm produce, technology is often the most promising route.
“Besides storage, transportation poses the next greater risk to farm produce.
“However, with increased speed and onboard storage, goods can be delivered to customers on time and in the best possible condition,’’ he said.
