In a boost to current efforts to transition the country’s agriculture from subsistence to mechanisation, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with American agriculture manufacturing companies – John Deere and Tata Nigeria to provide tractors to Nigerian farmers at an affordable rate.
The agreement also entails that the companies will establish tractor assembly plant in the country.
The MoU made provision for a flexible payment plan of between five to six – years for the participating farmers.
Speaking at the signing ceremony in Abuja, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, said the potential of the partnership remained enormous, and seeks to primarily address the challenges of mechanisation in the sector.
He said Nigeria is grossly under-mechanised, with only 50,000 serviceable tractors for the country’s over 70 million hectares of land.
The minister said, “What we have just witnessed now is a partnership between John Deere and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security to see that Nigerian farmers have access to agricultural equipment at an affordable rate.”
On his part, Vice President of John Deere, Jason Braintley said the company wasbexcited about the agreement with the ministry and Tata Nigeria.
He said the agreement remained critical for raising yields and enhancing food security as well as raising farmers’ income.
He said, “We are really excited with the agreement because it signifies that the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, John Deere, and Tata Nigeria see several opportunities to take proven practises in Nigeria and scale them up to make mechanisation more available for more farmers.
“John Deere has been active in Nigeria for decades, and we have tractors running all the way from north to south. We have equipment that will thrive in the country’s soil and climatic conditions.
“We also recognise that at the individual community level, the choice of implements will be really important, so one of the things we talked about is that we match up the right implement with the right tractor in the right area.”
He said discussions have commenced on the establishment of the assembly plant in the country.
Meanwhile, the minister has announced the postponement of the Agriculture and Food Security Summit and the National Council on Agriculture and Food Security Meeting earlier scheduled to take place in November.
