Form Clusters To Access Modern Tools, Farmers Urged

The managing director (MD) Autodex Nig LTD, Lead Creator, Farmfatech Prince Tony Ifeakandu, made the call at a press briefing heralding the third edition of Nigeria’s Farm, Food and Allied Technologies Expo,Farmfatech Expo 2026 with the theme  Driving Agricultural Industrialisation: Local Manufacturing, Technology Transfer, Finance and Export for Africa’s Prosperity,” .

According to him, Nigeria’s agricultural challenge is not merely about how to produce more food, but how to mechanise production, expand irrigation, preserve harvested crops, improve logistics and storage, and transform agricultural output into commercially viable products for domestic consumption and export.

He stressed that access to appropriate, structured financing remains one of the major barriers to agricultural transformation in Nigeria .

“Farmers, cooperatives and agribusinesses need financing models that connect production to reliable markets, mechanisation, irrigation, processing, storage and export contracts.

Farmfatech will provide a platform for stakeholders to explore practical financing solutions that reduce risk, attract investment and support commercially sustainable agricultural clusters,” he said.

He added that post-harvest losses represent a major economic opportunity.

“If Nigeria could preserve, process and commercially export the agricultural produce it currently loses after harvest, the additional value generated could be transformative for the national economy.

“Farmfatech therefore places particular emphasis on modern drying systems, storage infrastructure, cold-chain development, standardised logistics, processing and market access,” he said.

He said the Expo will bring together policymakers, financial institutions, investors, technology providers, manufacturers, development partners, farmers and civil society organisations to advance a practical national strategy for agricultural industrialisation.

“Farmfatech 2026 aims to move the conversation beyond agricultural potential towards practical collaboration, investment and measurable outcomes. Its central message is clear:

“Nigeria must build an integrated agricultural ecosystem that produces efficiently, loses less, finances strategically, meets recognised standards and exports competitively,” he said.

Highlighting the need for cluster farming ecosystem, he said it will expand access to agricultural machinery, locally manufactured equipment and reliable water systems, adding that the development will enhance post-harvest management by reducing losses through drying, processing, storage, cold-chain infrastructure and efficient transport.

He noted that the initiative will also provide structured agricultural finance by connecting farmers and agribusinesses with banks, development finance institutions, investors and risk-sharing mechanisms.

He reiterated that developing organised production clusters supported by improved farmer security and stronger coordination will also lead to certification and traceability by strengthening farmer identification, product traceability, quality assurance and standards required for domestic and international markets.

He stated further that the move will bring about export competitiveness by “Aligning production, logistics, certification and processing with regional and global market requirements,”.

 He continued “Their participation reflects the importance of bringing finance, policy, agricultural development, trade, risk management and security into a coordinated national conversation.

In his remarks, the Chairman Autodex Nig LTD, Chairman, Organising Committee – FarmFaTech, Hon. Dr Nnamdi Ezeani, said Nigeria must move beyond producing food to building a complete agricultural economy to achieve food security.

“We need mechanisation, irrigation, modern processing, drying, storage, cold-chain infrastructure and efficient logistics to reduce post-harvest losses and make our agricultural products competitive in local and international markets.

Equally important is structured financing. Farmers and agribusinesses need access to finance that connects production with machinery, markets, processing and reliable off-take arrangements.

Without this, agricultural potential cannot be fully converted into economic prosperity,” he said.

He noted that the Farmfatech expo ,therefore, brings together government, financial institutions, investors, manufacturers, farmers, technology providers and development partners to develop practical solutions.

“We also seek to promote agricultural clusters, strengthen farm security, improve farmer certification and product traceability, and standardise logistics and cold-chain systems,” he added.