Israeli ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Moshe Ram, has told the Nigerian government at various levels not to neglect mechanised agriculture, which he described as the surest way of feeding the country’s vast population.
In a statement made available to LEADERSHIP, the ambassador, who spoke at the joint commissioning of a Nigeria-Israel agricultural project in Minna on Tuesday, stressed the importance of educating the people on becoming modern farmers, because “eventually you will have to get back to the land which is the lifeline of this country.”
He disclosed that in Israel, because of the importance of education, only between three to four per cent of the population is involved in agriculture and yet the country is able to produce enough food for both internal consumption and for export.
The Niger State government, which provided a large expanse of land for the project, was represented by the deputy governor, Alhaji Musa Ibeto, who jointly commissioned the project with the ambassador.
The Nigeria-Israel agricultural project, sited in Lapai-Gwari Village, near the Niger State capital, is modern drip irrigation farming sponsored by the embassy of Israel, for the benefit of the host community, to commemorate its 63rd independence anniversary.
Ambassador Ram explained that since humanitarian activities have become a cornerstone in Israel’s policy and diplomacy in Nigeria, it has become a tradition for the embassy during its National Day celebrations every year, to embark on projects aimed at improving the lives of the people.
In 2009, the embassy played host to Israeli cardiologists, who performed free diagnosis and treatment for Nigerians and an open heart surgery in Israel for a Nigerian boy with a hole in his heart, while last year, three Israeli eye specialists operated on about 100 Nigerians with eye problems free of charge.
The Nigeria-Israel agricultural project, tagged, Irrigation is Life, is aimed at promoting dry season agriculture, during which Israeli experts would bring their unique knowledge, experience, technology and expertise to make the village a modern agricultural model that will provide opportunities for the community and the state.