The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Abubakar Kyari has announced that the ministry is ready to take delivery of will soon take delivery of 500 tractors assembled by the John Deere Group, as part of efforts to enhance mechanised farming, increase production and ensure food and nutrition security in Nigeria.
The initiative, aligned with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s emergency declaration on food security, seeks to accelerate farming activities and strengthen the nation’s food and nutrition security.
During a recent media chat in his office, the minister disclosed that John Deere would deliver 500 tractors by the end of May, with the remainder arriving in September 2024. He assured that the group is committed to supplying 2,000 tractors annually for the next five years, as outlined in the memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the ministry.
Kyari emphasised the importance of tractors in boosting agricultural yields, highlighting their vital role in the sector’s growth. He reiterated the Federal Government’s dedication to enhancing food and nutrition security through mechanisation, ensuring that the tractors would be accessible, available and affordable for small, large-scale and cooperative farmers nationwide.
Furthermore, the minister disclosed that the Federal Government had procured 58,500 tonnes of milled rice from the Rice Millers Association of Nigeria to stabilise market forces. He emphasised the government’s strategy to avoid exacerbating food price inflation, urging international agencies like the World Food Programme (WFP) not to make bulk purchases from the market.
Regarding the recent release of fertiliser by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAFS), Kyari highlighted the significance of the 2.15 million bags of assorted fertiliser, valued at over N100 billion. He stated that the CBN’s contribution would enhance agricultural production and encourage price stabilisation in the sector.
The minister assured that the ministry would distribute the assorted fertilisers judiciously to the intended farmers as soon as the locations where they are warehoused are made available. He reiterated the government’s commitment to swift action, ensuring that the donation reaches farmers across the country promptly.
