….As Israel offers to train Nigerians

By Mohammed Kandi

In an effort to strengthen the bilateral cooperation between Israel and Nigeria governments, the Israeli Minister of Agriculture, Mr. Yair Shamir, said his country is willing to train some employees of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

He also said the partnership with the Nigerian government would develop the country’s agricultural sector.

Mr. Shamir said “the Israeli government will commence the cooperation by training some employees of the Ministry, and the partnership is aimed at securing food for both nations.”

He said: “We want to supply more advanced products to the Nigerian people and this is because we have a lot of technology and ideas that we will like to share. I do believe the need for a fresh idea and fresh resource sharing.”

Responding, Dr. Adesina explained that the Israeli-Nigerian bi-lateral cooperation would foster developments in the sector.

“It would impact tremendously on private sector businesses, bringing wealth to youths by creating gainful jobs,” Adesina said.

The minister explained to the Israeli delegation that Nigeria was a major player in the global agricultural market in the 1960s through groundnut and palm oil production.

He noted that the over-reliance on oil as the main source of foreign exchange by the country led to the abandonment of agriculture and called on the Israeli team to support the country in revamping the agricultural sector.

Also speaking, Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Mrs. Ibokun Odusote, said the country was excited to partner with Israel which had conquered climatic challenges to be self-sufficient in food production.

Odusote also said that the country would help Nigeria surmount its challenges and observed that nearly four percent of Israel’s population were farmers and were able to feed the nation and produce for export.