Government launches agricultural modernisation plan, sets sights on factory to produce 4,000 tractors

The Federal Government has introduced the National Agricultural Mechanisation Policy and the National Agricultural Mechanisation Investment Strategy, which includes plans for a mega tractor assembly plant with a production capacity of 2,000 to 4,000 units per year.

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This announcement was made by Senator Abubakar Kyari, the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, on Wednesday during the High-Level National Policy Dialogue on Agricultural Mechanisation in Abuja.

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According to Kyari, the policy instruments aim to transform Nigeria into an agricultural powerhouse by addressing mechanization deficits and promoting food sovereignty, moving the country from potential to leadership in the sector.

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Kyari emphasized that efficient, competitive, and sustainable food production requires more than just land and good intentions, highlighting the importance of the National Policy Dialogue in achieving this goal.

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The minister noted that mechanisation encompasses a broad range of activities, including land preparation, planting, irrigation, crop protection, harvesting, processing, storage, logistics, precision agriculture, digital technologies, financing, insurance, maintenance, and after-sales services, going beyond just the use of tractors.

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Kyari stated that the government's ambition extends beyond equipment ownership, aiming to establish a Mechanization-as-a-Service economy that provides farmers with access to technology when and where it is needed, at a commercially viable and sustainably financed cost.

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The Federal Government has initiated the procurement and deployment of 2,000 tractors and over 9,000 assorted implements and spare parts under the Renewed Hope National Agricultural Mechanisation Programme, described by the minister as the largest single agricultural mechanisation programme in Africa.

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Kyari highlighted that the success of this programme should be measured by the productivity and maintenance of the machines, as well as their accessibility to farmers, rather than just the number of machines deployed.

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The proposed tractor assembly plant is expected to reduce Nigeria's reliance on imported machinery, localize production, create jobs, and support the development of a sustainable mechanisation economy, according to the minister.

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Kyari encouraged investors, youths, and women to take ownership of the emerging mechanisation economy, promoting participation and engagement in this sector.