Entrepreneur Harps On Mechanised Agriculture, Economic Development
From JOHNKENNEDY UZOMA, Owerri
Mechanized Agriculture has been identified as solution to socio-economic challenges facing the country.
The Managing Director of Ezelukwu Ventures Nigeria Limited which is an agro based firm Hon.Austin Nnadozie Anodim said this while addressing newsmen in Owerri.
He said that his firm, in collaboration with JustCorn Agricultural Development Services, a US based firm has acquired 21,000 hectares of land in various parts of the southeast for agricultural use.
He said that his organization has a projection to employ 2,000 Nigerian youths in its first year of operations and 6,000 after three years.
He further expressed optimism that youths who perpetrate crimes in the society can be effectivly engaged in mechanized farming, thus addressing the challenge of insecurity.
According to him, the firm will go into full scale production of cassava, maize, soyabean and other cash crops, the end products of which can be used to produce biofuel, animal feed, drugs and beverages.
He said: “We have acquired 21,000 hectares of land in the southeast for mechanized farming and we have entered into agreement with host communities such as Umulolo and Agbaobu in Okigwe Local Government Area of Imo”.
He insisted on their effort towards addressing the yearnings of the teeming youth through job creation as a way of curbing rising insecurity in the country.
He however identified business challenges to include government policies and unavailability of relevant infrastructure and called on government at all levels to create the enabling environment for businesses to thrive.
He also called on well-meaning Nigerians to key into the programmes of the firm for the overall benefit of the country.
He however called on well-meaning Nigerians who are interested in agricultural revolution through mechanized farming to partner with them in making this vision a reality.
