News in brief:
– President Tinubu directs NADF to deploy 10,000 John Deere tractors, starting with 2,000 units by early 2025.
– The initiative aims to revolutionise agriculture, create jobs, and enhance food security through mechanisation.
In a bid to revolutionise food production, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu recently tasked the National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF) with deploying 10,000 John Deere tractors across Nigeria. The initiative aims to modernise farming and boost agricultural productivity, supporting the president’s vision of transforming agriculture into a cornerstone of the nation’s economy.
Initial rollout set for 2025
The deployment will begin with 2,000 tractors arriving at Lagos Port by the first half of 2025, in time for the wet season farming. Over the next five years, the plan will scale up to a total of 10,000 tractors.
During the contract signing with John Deere at the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security in Abuja, NADF Executive Secretary Mohammed Ibrahim highlighted the significance of the project.
“This is one of four federal mechanisation programs aimed at transitioning Nigeria to an agriculturally driven economy,” Ibrahim stated. “The tractors will be assembled locally to ensure sustainability and create opportunities for Nigerian youth to learn about advanced farming technologies.”
Strategic partnerships for implementation
To ensure smooth operations, NADF has partnered with the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) to facilitate the assembly and distribution of the tractors. According to Ibrahim, space has been allocated near the ports for an assembly plant.
Engr. Okoli Chijioke, Country Director for AGCOMS International Trading Limited, the sub-dealers of John Deere tractors, revealed that the contract for the initial 2,000 tractors is valued at $70 million. He noted that the assembly plant would not only support tractor deployment but also serve as a hub for training Nigerian youth in agricultural technology.s
The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, commended NADF for the milestone. He emphasised that this mechanisation effort could attract young Nigerians to agribusiness, a key step in addressing youth unemployment and enhancing food security.
Kyari urged NADF to ensure the tractors are distributed to farmers nationwide before the wet season and to maintain momentum in scaling up the program.
