Sequel to His Excellency, Governor Mohammed Abubakar with select members of the Bauchi State Executive Council’s recent investment drive to the People’s Republic of China, a team of Chinese entrepreneurs and experts have concluded 3 day official visit to the State with commitments centering around bilateral cooperation between China and Bauchi State towards economic development, investments, technical assistance and partnership in agriculture, with emphasis on production, farm mechanization and water development.
The governor’s interest was on how to diversify sources of generating revenue for the State by securing simple, cheap, intermediate and relevant technologies that will modernize and boost agriculture, increase and mechanize mining of mineral resources that abound in the State and attract manufacturers especially of agro-allied products to Bauchi state.
The Chinese entrepreneurs were led by Professor Liu of China General Engineering and Construction Company, the largest China engineering and construction company, and Professor Qui who had over 13 years working experience in Nigeria leading the South-South China Corporation, all specialists in agro-processing and agricultural engineering.
The team recognized the areas of intervention and agreed on the need to intervene in crop production, farm mechanization, inputs production, agro-processing, and water development, after being taken round the State by chairman of the state executive council-appointed committee, the commissioner of Agriculture, Dr Yusuf Yakubu Mahmoud.
In the area of agro processing the visiting Chinese have shown interest in meat processing plant especially beef, mutton and poultry, in addition to vegetable/tomato processing, as well as rice milling, while plans are being finalized to start importing soy beans, groundnuts, sorghum, and sesame from the State as well as participating in the production of some cash crops in the State.
The visiting Chinese entrepreneurs inspected mango orchards at Giwo farms, groundnuts, watermelon, sesame, and Gum Arabic plantations, Galambi Cattle Ranch, Bauchi Meat Factory, Bauchi Fertilizer Blending Plant and Gadar Maiwa Farms.
They were also taken to poultry and fish farms like the Raji Farms at Birshi as well as some agro-industries in the State which gave them an idea of how Bauchi agriculture is.
They expressed hope in having long term working relationship with Bauchi State government, saying China has offered to help Nigeria with 20 billion USD to be distributed in the areas of agriculture, solid minerals, and manufacturing and in other social sectors like education and health.
The team was hosted by His Excellency, Governor Mohammed Abubakar who promised to ease their assistance to the development of the State, during which discussions were held with the Committee that allow the Chinese to identify the areas which the State wants them to participate through investments.
Following this return visit to Bauchi State by the consortium of Chinese entrepreneurs, a Memorandum of Understanding is expected to be signed soon that roll out the bilateral cooperation between China and Bauchi State towards economic development, investments, technical assistance and partnership in agriculture, with emphasis on production, farm mechanization and water development.
