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Food supply

Nigeria's National Economic Council Endorses Solar-Powered Irrigation Pumps for Mass Production

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

In a move to bolster food security in Nigeria, the National Economic Council (NEC) has appealed to President Bola Tinubu to fund the mass production of solar-powered irrigation pumps. The council has endorsed the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure's (NASENI) initiative, which aims to replace petrol-powered pumps with more cost-effective and manageable solar-powered alternatives. This decision follows a recent endorsement by the NEC, composed of governors from the 36 states and headed by Vice President Kashim Shettima. The council is urging a national rollout of the solar pump ahead of the 2025 dry season farming.

Key Takeaways:

  • The National Economic Council (NEC) has endorsed NASENI's solar-powered irrigation pumps for mass production, citing their cost-effectiveness and ease of management.
  • The pumps are expected to aid farmers in reducing costs, increasing agricultural productivity, lowering operational costs, and improving livelihoods.
  • The NEC has called for a national rollout of the solar pump ahead of the 2025 dry season farming.
  • Abubakar Kyari, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, praised the NASENI initiative, stating that the pumps will help strengthen the nation's food security strategy.
  • At its 152nd meeting, the NEC resolved to adequately notify President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for approval and mandated the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning to work out funding modalities for NASENI.
  • The Council also emphasized the importance of innovation in agriculture, highlighting the potential for Nigerian ingenuity to compete with the world.
  • The scaled-up solar irrigation pumps are equipped with advanced features, including GPS tracking, mobile app dashboards, usage monitoring, and pay-as-you-go integration.
  • The innovation by NASENI is expected to boost food security and unlock carbon credit opportunities for farmers across the country.
  • Sen. Shettima mentioned that NASENI had successfully designed a quintuple solar pump for mass production, which can be delivered to the farm across the country.
  • NASENI's solar irrigation pump is cost-effective and has a lower operational cost compared to petrol-powered systems.
  • Chairman of the Council, Vice President Shettima, said the scaled-up solar irrigation pumps are ready for national rollout ahead of the 2025 dry season.
  • The council also noted the balance of the Excess Crude Account ($535,823.39), Stabilization account (N83,495,784,133.24), and Natural Resources account (N125,818,396,257.41) as at September 17th.

Statistics:

  • The solar-powered irrigation pumps are expected to lower farmers' costs and expand dry-season cultivation.
  • The pumps are equipped with advanced features, including GPS tracking, mobile app dashboards, usage monitoring, and pay-as-you-go integration.
  • The Excess Crude Account stands at $535,823.39, the Stabilization account at N83,495,784,133.24, and the Natural Resources account at N125,818,396,257.41 as at September 17th.
  • The scaled-up solar irrigation pumps are ready for national rollout ahead of the 2025 dry season.

Sources:

  • Source: News report
  • Date: No specific date mentioned
  • Source: National Economic Council (NEC) meeting
  • Date: Thursday, no specific date mentioned

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