UK TO SET UP AGRITECH HUB IN OYO
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The Oyo State Government is set to benefit from a partnership with the United Kingdom Agritech Centre to enhance agriculture and livestock production through science and other technology-based solutions.
The Centre is also set to establish an Agritech Hub within one of the state’s Agribusiness Industrial Hubs, which will help revolutionise agriculture and provide practitioners with resources and opportunities for technological innovations in farming practices.
The Executive Adviser to the state governor on Agribusiness, Debo Akande, disclosed this on Monday during a visit by the UK delegation to Governor Seyi Makinde in Ibadan.
This was contained in a statement by the Special Adviser (Media) to Makinde, Sulaimon Olanrewaju, made available to journalists in Ibadan, the state capital.
Olanrewaju explained that the construction of the Agritech Centre is a funded project that will benefit the state.
The delegation, which comprised agribusiness experts, academics, and heads of other organisations within the UK Agritech Centre, was led by the Director of the UK Department of Business and Trade in Nigeria, Mr Mark Smithson.
Speaking shortly after the delegation met with Makinde, Akande stated that the visit aimed to explore trade expansion and opportunities between Oyo State and the UK.
He said, “This is a visit of the United Kingdom delegates, who came to speak with the governor about the expansion of trade and the opportunity that exists through a new initiative like what we have with AGOA and the American government. The British government also has that.
“The second reason is that they have a new big project that is a tripartite relationship between Brazil, the UK, and Nigeria. It is called the Agritech. And, of course, you know that Oyo State has become a priority state in Nigeria. So, they will implement this project within the state.
“Agriculture has become technology-driven, and we have a lot of young people who have the capability to produce, but the know-how may not be there. This project is going to provide the opportunity and resources for them to be able to do it.
“We are hoping that this will help us to build what we call an ‘Agritech Hub’ within one of our industrial hubs in Oyo State. And this is going to revolutionise agriculture. Agriculture has gone beyond rudimentary to technology, to innovation, to precision, to mechanical, and this is where and how we can increase productivity and production for livestock within our state.”
He added, “Very soon, it will be achieved because it is a funded project. They are not going through the conceptualisation stage, and that is why they are here from the UK to meet with the stakeholders and get to understand what our major needs and challenges are so that we can then deploy.
“This is a grant, which the state will be benefiting from.”
Also speaking, Smithson explained that his delegation visited Oyo to discuss with Governor Makinde and other stakeholders in the state the opportunities available in the agricultural sector.
In February 2024, the United Kingdom and Nigeria signed an investment partnership, which comprises 40 different chapters.
One of the priority areas for the UK and Nigeria is in the field of agriculture.
“So, we are here today to talk with His Excellency, the Governor, and the stakeholders in the state about the opportunities to bring the UK and Nigeria into collaboration in the field of agriculture.
“We have colleagues from the Department of Business and Trade based in London and colleagues from the UK Agritech Centre here to explore what those partnerships and opportunities might look like.
“The UK Agritech Centre, as an organisation, comprises 300 members from the private sector and academia, and they bring to Nigeria science and technology-based solutions, which will hopefully help in enhancing productivity in agriculture,” Smithson said.
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