Apart from foreign investment, the sector mainly needs to be mechanised and supported by building facilities and infrastructure. Agricultural machinery is in demand, as well as machinery for crop and livestock processing, there is also a lack of warehouses, granaries, cold stores, freezing plants, as well as expertise in appropriate methods for increasing production and irrigation. It is estimated that nearly two-thirds of crops go to waste each year because farmers do not have the technical means to harvest crops on time, transport them over broken roads, process them quickly or store them for further use or export. Alongside other constraints such as security or climate change, these are the main challenges facing Nigerian agriculture at the moment.

Czech-Nigerian agricultural relations began to develop rapidly after the visit of the Minister of Agriculture Marian Jurecka in May 2016. The interest of Nigerian entrepreneurs and government officials in Czech quality and know-how is still very lively. Last summer, the Nigerian University of Jos concluded a Memorandum of Understanding with the Czech University of Life Sciences. The main subject of cooperation is the exchange of knowledge on the most suitable potato varieties for the tropical plateau around Jos. Discussions are also underway on irrigation projects in the north of the country. Nigeria's rapidly growing population is understandably calling for increased crop and livestock production. Among the established suppliers of poultry and cattle feed is the Czech company B27 International.

However, tractors remain the main commodity in demand to increase agricultural production. The Czech company Knights has been successful in the market, having won contracts to supply small tractors from producers Vari and Šálek in the Nigerian federal states of Taraba and Niger. Both countries, with the support of the Czech Embassy in Abuja, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Industry and Trade and, of course, the Ministry of Agriculture of the Czech Republic, sent delegations to Prague. They had the opportunity to see first-hand the range of Vari and Šálek tractors, specially designed for African soil and the needs of local farmers.

The Taraba project in particular has already been brought to a successful conclusion. The first tranche of GLOBAL and CABRIO tractors is already in Nigeria. It is expected that the goods will be completely in place in the early autumn and that the Ambassador, H.E. Mr. Zdeněk Krejčí, will attend the handover ceremony. Examples attract, so together with Czech companies we hope that this swallow will move bilateral agricultural relations to the next level and will be an incentive for other potential partners among Czech agricultural equipment manufacturers.

 

Author: Marie Nwanyanwu, Economic Diplomat, Embassy of the Czech Republic in Nigeria