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It was an overwhelming moment for farmers across the country, on Monday, as President Bola Tinubu inaugurated the largest single mechanisation drive, Nigeria has ever witnessed.
Abubakar Kyari, Minister, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAFS), at the inauguration, said, “Never in Nigeria’s history have we witnessed an agricultural mechanisation initiative of this scale, ambition, and national focus”.
He said, “Guided by the President’s directive, and in collaboration with AFTRADE DMCC, we are today unveiling the single largest mechanisation drive ever undertaken in Nigeria:2,000 high-quality tractors with trailers, ploughs, harrows, sprayers, and planters, 10 state-of-the-art Combined Harvesters, 12 fully equipped Mobile Workshops, 50 Bulldozers for agricultural land development and over 9,000 complementary implements and spare parts
According to the Minister,” the programme was designed by this Administration to bring over 550,000 hectares of farmland under cultivation, generate more than two million metric tonnes of staple food, create over 16,000 jobs, and directly benefit more than 550,000 farming households across all six geopolitical zones.
“It is fulfilling to mention that with the unflinching support of Mr. President’s Renewed Hope Agenda on Mechanization, four far-reaching mechanization initiatives were instituted under this administration. These include the John Deere Tractorization Programme, the Greener Hope Project, the Green Imperative Programme and the Belarus Project.
“What began as a bold policy directive has turned into tangible results. From early-stage coordination to full-scale assembly and deployment, we are already here, launching tractors and equipment that will redefine Nigeria’s agricultural landscape.”
Meanwhile, as Nigerian farmers and Nigerians await a revolution in the nations agricultural sector, stakeholders including, All Farmers Association (AFAN, Women and Youth Farmers are optimistic that the initiative would revolutionise the sector, if the equipment are deployed transparently for accessibility to small holders across Nigeria.
According to Ibrahim Kabiru, President AFAN believes the technology is an impetus for the scaling of Agricultural production and the farmers are ecstatic about it. “We were fully represented at the launch”, he said.
He however, added, “We do not have any news on the modality of distribution, but we keenly await the unveiling of that”.
Also speaking, Ejim Lovelyn Nnenna, founder, Network of Women in Agriculture Nigeria/National Vice President, Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria RIFAN said “This has been the demand of women Farmers for some time and now it has been done.
For Nnenna, she said, “There has been a laid-down sharing method. We will be in Abuja by God’s grace by July third week for further discussions on the distribution modalities”
Also speaking Nkiruka Stella Okonkwo, Co-Founder, Leonard & Nkiruka Okonkwo Foundation (LANOF) and a youth farmer, said “Mechanisation will improve productivity and yield for smallholder farmers, especially women and youth.
“This also aligns with the ongoing review of the National Youth Manifesto in Agriculture, and the National Gender Policy in Agriculture and Development of its Strategic Plan of Action (2025-2030).”
She is optimistic that for women and youth to benefit from this intervention, there must be “Equity and transparency” in the deployment of the equipment.
