Greener Hope Large-scale Agriculture Mechanisation Programme, GHAPP has made a significant impact at the maiden edition of the FARMFATECH 2024 EXPO, a three-day event held at the Velodrome of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja.
The event gathered prominent stakeholders from the agricultural value-chain sector to discuss pressing issues in farm financing and the value chain across Nigeria and Africa.
FARMFATECH 2024 featured a rich line-up of thought leadership panels and exhibitions showcasing advancements in agricultural technology, mechanisation, and financing solutions.
Greener Hope actively participated in both discussions during the sessions and the exhibitions, highlighting its commitment to providing technology-driven mechanisation solutions to Nigerian farmers and the agribusiness value chain.
Panel Discussions on Agricultural Financing and Mechanisation during the EXPO commenced with the first panel, themed “Agricultural Financing and its Value Chain in Nigeria and Africa,” with discussants who paraded key industry leaders and decision-makers including Senator Abubakar Kyari, CON, Honourable Minister of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, General Christopher Cwabin Musa, OFR, Chief of Defence Staff of the Nigerian Armed Forces, Professor Benedict Okey Oramah, President and Chairman of Afreximbank, Oliver Alawuba, CEO of United Bank for Africa, while Dr. Ilyasu Gashinbaki, Vice President Finance (Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry), served as the session’s moderator.
On the panel, Dr. Musa Olasupo, Director of the Programme of Greener Hope, extensively discussed the importance of access to finance in expanding mechanisation efforts.
He emphasised the Greener Hope Large-scale Agriculture Mechanisation Programme’s (GHAP’s) relentless commitment to empowering both smallholders as well as large-scale farmers, enabling them to increase productivity and address food security challenges.
‘’Agricultural mechanisation services require long-term financing options, and it must be made consistently over some time for us to attain the desired level of Mechanisation that can catalyse agricultural productivity in Nigeria. The government should be ready to do the heavy lifting and allow the private sector to complement its efforts. That is the logic guiding the Greener Hope Large Scale Mechanization Programme” said Dr. Olasupo.
The second panel brought together experts which included Dr. Ifeanyi Chukwunonso Okeke, Director General, Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Mrs. Nonye Ayeni, Director/CEO, Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Mr. Kamal Abdullahi Rasheed, Executive Director and CEO, National Centre for Agricultural Mechanisation (NCAM), Kamar Bakrin, Executive Secretary, National Sugar Development Council (NSDC), Mr. Oluwemimo J. Osanipin, Director General, National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), Mr. Sa’ad Hamidu, CEO, NIRSAL to discuss further strategies for advancing agricultural productivity and enhancing support structures for mechanisation.
Exhibition Highlights
In addition to the panel discussions, FARMFATECH 2024 also featured an extensive exhibition that showcased Greener Hope’s innovative mechanisation solutions tailored toward Nigeria’s agricultural landscape. Attendees, including policymakers, financiers, and agricultural stakeholders, were able to engage with Greener Hope representatives and explore the cutting-edge technologies that the organization offers to boost farm productivity, minimize manual labour, and address common farming challenges.
Shaping the Future of Agricultural Financing and Mechanisation FARMFATECH 2024 was a crucial platform for Greener Hope to emphasize the role of mechanisation and innovative financing in building a sustainable agricultural ecosystem. Dr. Olasupo’s contributions to the discussions underscored Greener Hope’s leading role in meeting the financial and technological needs of Nigeria’s agricultural sector.