The Maize Association of Nigeria (MAAN) has purchased combine harvesters and mini harvesters to ease drudgery by farmers during harvest.
Speaking at the official flag-off of the 2021 harvest and commissioning of the harvesters in Taraba State, the National President of the association, Dr Bello Abubakar, said the move was to improve its mechanization system.
Dr Abubakar said the association partnered with Origin Group Automobile to provide 15 combine harvesters and 32 mini harvesters to the association in form of a loan.
“In our efforts to enhance our mechanization system, we collaborated and partnered with Origin Group Nigeria to supply the association with combine harvesters and mini harvesters”
“MAAN decided to purchase 15 units of combine harvester and 32 units of mini harvesters in form of a loan.
“The group would provide the harvesters to MAAN, MAAN would pay 30% initial deposit, after harvest another 30%, after dry season farming, 20% would be paid while the remaining 20% would be paid after next year wet season,” he said.
Dr Abubakar said the harvesters would be first deployed to 12 states with the largest hectares and subsequently to other states across the country.
He commended the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria for supporting farmers in Nigeria with soft loans through the Anchor Borrowers Programme (ABP) which has changed the narration of the farming system in Nigeria with the introduction of new technologies and mechanised farming systems.
Dr Abubakar also commended President Muhammadu Buhari for transforming the lives of peasant farmers by introducing the Programme.
