The newly elected leadership of North Central Agri-Input Dealers Association, (NOCAIDA) has assured that the new executive would promote agriculture in the north and bring back the past glory of agriculture boom in the region.

The new body which was elected to champion the affairs of the association for the next two years held their first annual general meeting in Minna, the Niger State capital where the board members were elected with Alhaji R.A Lawal as the association's new president.

The association which is the umbrella body of all dealers in agricultural products in north-central comprising Niger, Nassarawa, Kogi, Plateau as well as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) would ensure that agro-products dealers were united as an industry to support achievement of the federal government's food security and poverty reduction agenda through the provision of quality inputs value, added services and advocacy in agricultural sector.

As part of its mandate, the association promised to offer technical assistance as well as information to farmers on the use of agricultural inputs or agro-chemicals such as pesticides, fertilizers as well as seedlings to over 300 of its members. The new executive also promised to reach out to farmers in other parts of the north and country at large.

Some of the objectives of the association which was established in 2004, with the assistance of International Centre for Soil Fertility and Agricultural Development; include capacity building, creation of opportunities for members,  advocacy and sensitisation programmes among others.

Currently supported by the Nigeria Agro-Dealer Support Project, the association expects a counterpart funding of N25 million from the member states while the governments of Niger State and the FCT administration made pledges of financial assistance.