WorldStage Newsonline– The Nigerian Association of Technologist Engineers (NATE) on Tuesday sought collaboration with the Federal Institute of Industrial Research (FIIRO), Oshodi, Lagos, to train youths in design and fabrication of agricultural equipment.
Its Chairman in Lagos State, Mr Kayode Ibidapo, made this known when he led a seven-man delegation on a courtesy visit to Dr Yemisi Asagbra, the Director-General of the institute in Lagos.
Ibidapo said the aim was to train the teeming youths to be self-reliance in design and fabrication of agricultural and civil equipment.
NATE is a member of Council for the Regulation of Engineering of Nigeria, with the aim of manufacturing, designing, developing, and fabricating machines and equipment.
The council also improves technological advancement in the field of science and engineering in Nigeria.
Ibidapo said: “We want to collaborate with FIIRO on training of our teeming youths on how to manufacture and fabricate different equipment.
“These include coconut de-shelling machine, cocoa and rice dryer, castor oil and rice destoning machine to empower people.
“From the civil engineering division, we found that we have potassium carbonate, which is use as raw materials for screeding, and with our collaboration with FIIRO, we can sell the ideas and save our foreign reserves.”
He called on the three tiers of government to assist in the training of youths, provision of tools and equipment to enhance jobs creation.
“We also call on the government and companies to key into the training to empower youths so as to reduce the incidences of crimes in the society.
“ The number of youths or interested persons depends on the amount of sponsorship from the governments and organisations for financial obligation, and by this, it will greatly increase the GDP of the nation’s economy,’’ Ibidapo said.
Responding, Asagbra, said the relationship of over 10 years with NATE had been fruitful and smooth with increased level of participation in agricultural equipment.
She gave assurance that the collaboration, which was not only on agriculture, but civil involves the use calcium carbonate for screeding production.
Asagbra said that this would yield positive results and goodwill for the economy.
“We have decided to challenge ourselves, in addition to what we have been doing, to make equipment that would help to reduce drudgery and to assist farmers and the middlemen to carry out various crops processing.
“With the advance in technology, it will help the farmers to produce farm produce in a good, healthy, safe, and wholesome environment.
“We are going to support NATE, and we have been supporting them in the past.
“We will even support them better to produce standard equipment to be used in the country.
“It is a thing of joy that NATE is asking for another angle, not just the agricultural engineering, but the civil engineering which we have the technology for the component.
“We assure them of great result to empower our youths and increase the agricultural sector,’’ the director-general said.
