Farmers News - Agric mechanisation: FG’s way of boosting productivity, job creation

Poor farm tools used in underdeveloped economies such as hoes and cutlasses, and in some cases, tool-mounting animals, have been claimed to be responsible for poor agricultural production and productivity in Nigeria and other countries in Africa. Only a few hectares can be cultivated with the tools and agriculture becomes laborious, ending farmers in scanty yields and extreme poverty. This has also been attributable to disinterest of younger Nigerians.

To change the story, Minister of Agriculture, Dr Akinwumi Adesina, said in line with President Goodluck Jonathan’s directives, a total of 1,200 led agricultural equipment hiring centres would be established across the country before the end of the year.

The minister revealed this in Gusau, Zamfara State, when he inaugurated four government-supported but private sector-led agricultural equipment hiring centres to mechanise agriculture in the state, putting the total cost for the centres at N144 million. There were 20 tractors; several power tillers; harvesters and planters, among other modern farm machinery in each centre located in each senatorial district of the state with one in the state centre.