Food Sufficiency: Honda Launches Mechanized Equipment To Increase Farmers’ Yield
Oluchi Chibuzor
In other to attain self sufficiency in rice and other food production in Nigeria, Honda Manufacturing (Nig.) Limited, over the weekend, launched agricultural equipment that would increase farmers’ yield as well as make large scale farming efficient.
The manufacturing company had launched hand held shaft, for cultivating agricultural lands, motorised back pack, for spraying chemicals and pest infection on farms among others.
Speaking to journalists, the Managing Director, HMNL, Hiroshima Ichikawa, said the launch of the equipment was to increase agriculture production yield in the country.
According to him, the equipment are more than three times efficient than manual operation, saying farmers will get more yield, profits than manual operation and as such contribute to the development of the agricultural sector.
He said, “We are launching back sprayer and grass cutter and also we are introducing so many attachment to make farming more convenient and profitable. Three modules and so many attachment. About five to seven, so that they can change frequently and they can do various operation in the farm.
“Nigerians involved in agriculture are much but productivity is low, after the introduction of such machine, it will more than double their yield and based on our internal test it is about three times more efficient than manual operation.
“In the market, there are so many machines but for personal farmers, this is visible, viable and it’s 3 times more efficient. Farmers will get more profits than manual operation, they have to pay and it will lead to getting more yield more profit and as such contribute to the development of the agricultural sector. In Nigeria, there are so many small farmers and we contribute to their yield while big farmers make use of tractors. we are focusing on this personal farmers to increase their yield and productivity.”
Also speaking, Honda Power Products sales manager, Abayomi Anuoluwapo, said the equipment were produced by the company to key into the agricultural policies of the federal government, reiterating that the equipment would lead to improved productivity to local farmers.
Anuoluwapo, said the equipment is for small scale farmers who form larger percentage and contribute more to food production in the country.
“We launched our hand held shaft, basically for cultivating agricultural lands, trimming lawns and taking care of gardens and for cutting bushes. For the motorised back pack, it’s basically used for spraying chemicals, insecticide, taking care of trees to prevent insects and pest infection on farms. We believe that with this type of back pack sprayer, agricultural mechanisation will be enhanced in Nigeria and will improve productivity to local farmers. We could see the future of Nigeria in terms of agriculture. We also wants to connect with the government policy in mechanisation of agriculture so we are looking at turning potentials of Nigeria to reality, “he said.
