Rivers State has been urged to ramp up its mechanized agriculture efforts, with Professor Silas Nkakini, a renowned expert in Power and Machinery Engineering, lamenting the State’s abysmally low level of mechanization, currently pegged at less than 0.5% below the recommended factorization intensity.
Delivering the 127th Inaugural Lecture at the Rivers State University (RSU) on Wednesday, March 11, 2026, Nkakini emphasized the critical role of mechanization in ensuring food security, identifying four key factors that underscore its importance: availability, accessibility, utilization, and stability.
“Food is the basic necessity for human survival, and mechanization is the key to unlocking its potential,” Nkakini stressed. “Without mechanization, agricultural and industrial productivity will remain low, and we will continue to lag behind.”
Nkakini’s lecture, titled “Man-Machine Tillage Pharos of Food Security for Agriculture Machinery Engineering,” highlighted the findings of an energy analysis that revealed the state’s glaring deficiency in mechanization.
His research on economic principles also exposed the alarming risks faced by farmers due to poor bending postures, which can lead to cardiovascular problems.
In response, Nkakini developed anthropometric data to support the design of tractors tailored to Nigerian farmers and unveiled 10 adaptive, cost-efficient tools for food production.
The Professor’s recommendations were clear: government must incentivize innovative research, implement policies that encourage sustainability, prioritize the development of simple and low-cost equipment using local materials, and establish robust programs for agricultural mechanization.
Vice Chancellor of RSU, Professor Isaac Zeb-Obipi, represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Administration, Professor Blessing Jaja, echoed Nkakini’s sentiments, urging the Intellectual Property Office to document the innovations presented.
“The present administration is keen on promoting research and partnering with industry,” Jaja said. “We hope to see these novel devices improve production and benefit our people.”
Speaking to Kristina Reports, Head of the Civil Engineering Department, Ken Saro Wiwa Polytechnic, Bori, Tamunokoro Oswald, hailed Nkakini’s locally fabricated farm equipment as a game-changer, poised to ease agricultural pressure, improve farmers’ health, and boost productivity.
“Nkakini’s work is revolutionary,” Oswald said. “His equipment, like the cassava lifter, can be operated by anyone, reducing drudgery and increasing efficiency.”
The Inaugural Lecture served as a clarifying call for Rivers State to redouble its efforts in mechanized agriculture, with stakeholders urging the government to take concrete steps to support innovation and drive sustainable food production.