As part of the drive to address food insecurity in the country, Tingo Mobile Plc, has signed a memorandum of understanding with the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), for the supply of farm inputs, equipment and mobile devices to farmers to help improve farm produce and facilitate access to buyers.
The MOU, which was signed yesterday in Abuja will allow Tingo Mobile Plc to supply farming inputs such as seeds, fertilizer, tractors, chemicals, sprinklers, as well as loans to members of AFAN, which has a spread in all the 36 states, in order to aid food productivity.
In addition to farming inputs, Tingo will also supply smart phones devices to support small scale farmers to facilitate access to markets to sell their produce.
Speaking during the MOU signing, president of Tingo, Chris Cleverly said the development is aimed at addressing growing challenges of food insecurity in Nigeria, adding that there was a need to support rural farmers with initiatives that would boost their output.
According to him, the development will also address unemployment and enable small scale farmers to contribute meaningful to economic growth.
Tingo Incorporated is a leading Agri-Fintech company, with over $2 billion market capitalisation, which has for decades transformed rural farming communities by providing connectivity and access to Tingo’s extensive and unique platform.
Also speaking, president of AFAN, Dr Farouk Rabiu Mudi noted that the involvement of private organisations in addressing the challenges faced by farmers remained sacrosanct.
He disclosed that the new deal would offer opportunities to farmers across all local government areas in the country to improve their yield.
Mudi who stated that the MoU with Tingo is a welcome development, especially at a time that the farmers are counting losses from flooding.
Chief executive officer of Tingo Mobile, Auwalu Tahir said, “At Tingo, we are passionate about solutions that will end food insecurity, hunger, malnutrition, poverty, unemployment, rural under development, foreign exchange challenges amongst others,”
He added; “What you are seeing today is part of the commitment we had made to adopt the United Nations Sustainable Development.
Tahir said the inadequacy of tractor, funding, fertilizer and market connectivity have further worsened the threat to food security in Nigeria, stressing that the MoU would address the issues.