President Muhammadu Buhari has inaugurated the Agricultural Machinery and Equipment Development Institute (AMEDI), Lafia, to enhance food security and create jobs for the youths across the country.
AMEDI is one of the Buhari administrationās legacies meant to make Nigeria a hub and supplier of agro-allied technology, equipment and machinery.
The project is also aimed at making the nation self-sufficient in food production as well as creating more sustainable jobs for Nigeriaās teeming youths.
AMEDI, a multi-billion Naira product of National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), is equipped with modern laboratories and machines for mechanised farming and agricultural development in the country.
The president, who was taken round the premises of the institute by the Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive of NASENI, Prof. Muhammed Sani, inspected facilities including equipment and laboratories at the institute.
While conducting the president round the facilities, Sani said the foundation laying for the construction of the institute and its inauguration was within a period of less than six months.
According to him, this is the second inauguration of NASENI projects by the president within a span of three months.
Sani said: āWe the management and staffers of NASENI are not taking this rare privilege for granted.
āThe foundation laying for construction of this institute and its inauguration today is within a period of less than sixĀ months.
āMr President may recall his directive for the establishment of sixĀ new Agricultural-Technology-based Institutes, one each per geo-political zone of Nigeria in 2021 as part of the twelve new Institutes approved to be established.
āNASENI under my leadership has developed a culture of speedy delivery on Presidential directives not only to justify the new status of the agency, but also to fast-track transition of Nigeria to a manufacturing knowledge-based economy.ā
According to him, AMEDI, Lafia is the first to be completed among the six equals across the geo-political zones of the country.
Sani added that the conceptualization of the institute was targeted at the use of science and engineering infrastructure to support the presidential efforts in the attainment of food and nutritional security in Nigeria and for Nigerians.
āThe peculiarity of our soil with inherent edaphic factors and peculiar topography require the production of made in Nigeria agricultural implements, machinery and equipment that can support responsible and productive agricultural practices in the face of climate change.
āWe are conversant with the Sustainable Development Goals and our national expectations to end hunger and create decent cum inclusive jobs for our youth and women.
āWe are resolved at NASENI to use the platforms of AMEDIs to modernise agri-business in Nigeria and ensure sustainable scaling of agro-enterprises for new jobs and wealth creation,ā he added.
The EVC further stated that, as a modular agricultural institute, AMEDI Lafia and others when completed, had a template to advance the injection of Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) in the agricultural space across the country.
He said the inbuilt capabilities of the institutes would ensure the use of additive and SMART manufacturing platforms already acquired by NASENI system-wide to design, develop, assemble and produce agricultural and food processing implements for various classes of farmers.
Sani said: āThe main workshop in the institute shall become a model of SMART factory that will leverage cutting edge technologies to deliver Made- in-Nigeria products and market demand- driven services that are suitable for both our farmers and arable lands.
