PCNI to partner with Czech Republic to boost Agriculture

On Wednesday, the 24th of May 2017, the PCNI hosted the Czech Republic Ambassador who was represented by the commercial attaché, a representative of the Minister of Agriculture, and Knight Technologies, producers of Global Multipurpose Mini Tractors based in the Czech Republic. The PCNI Vice chairman, Mr. Tijjani Tumsah expressed the federal government’s commitment to providing livelihood support to small scale farmers in the North East who constitute the bulk of the region’s population. He said that innovations such as those offered by Knight Technologies were of interest to PCNI given its aim of revamping agriculture in the North East in line with the strategic priorities of the Buhari Plan. He also assured the Czech Ambassador of the Federal Government’s willingness to collaborate with the Czech Republic.

For his own part, the representative of the Minister of Agriculture, Engineer Abdullahi Abubakar said that the tractors had undergone assessment at the National Centre for Agricultural Mechanization, Ilorin and had been certified fit to operate on Nigerian soil. He said that he was especially impressed by the maneuverability of the tractors and urged Knight Technologies to not only train youths and small scale farmers, but also facilitate the transfer of technology through the establishment of after-sales service stations in Nigeria. In her remarks, the Czech commercial attaché, Beata Matusikova said that the tractors will be of immense benefit to Nigerians and will improve the livelihoods of the people of the North East.

Mr. Karl Laryea, the CEO of Knight Technologies, gave a brief video presentation showing how the mini tractors operate in the field. He said that the simple, affordable and efficient tractors could spearhead the mechanization of agriculture in the region and asserted that their multifunctional capabilities and fuel economy would also make farming less labour-intensive. The global multi-purpose mini tractor is a single machine that has the components to cart, plough, mill, irrigate, harrow, mow, harvest, plant and shred.

Highlighting the success of its operations in Ghana and other African countries, he affirmed the company’s wiliness to do business in Nigeria especially given the opportunity presented by the federal government’s resolve to revitalize agriculture in the North East. A public demonstration of the global multipurpose tractor was subsequently conducted at a site in Gwagalada, Abuja.