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.

He explained that farmers would access the equipment under the Growth Enhancement Scheme (GES) with the Federal and state governments paying 50 per cent of the cost of hiring the equipment. He said the days of corruption in providing tractors for farmers were over, as it was now in the hands of the private sector. Adesina also revealed the ministry would support farmers in the Zamfara with N193 million to have free access to tractor services in the next four month.

“This will enable farmers in the state to cultivate 8,000 hectares extra, increase food production by 32,000 tonnes and create 1000 jobs,” he said.

Adesina said farmers in the North had benefitted most from GES, as they represented 75 per cent of the scheme’s beneficiaries.

Responding to whether this could change agricultural practices for better or not, the chairman, All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Zamfara State branch, Mr Saidu Abdulsalam, said there were over 3 million people in the state and 90 per cent of them were farmers, with 250,000 family farms. He said they were behind the president as his term in office had enabled them to feel the government presence on the farms for the first time.

He appreciated the Federal Government for allowing farmers in the state to participate in the GES in spite of the refusal of the state government to participate earlier. The chairman said the Federal Government took the responsibility of the state in providing access to subsidised farm inputs for farmers in the state.

Also speaking, the Executive Director, Wholesales and Finance, Bank of Agriculture (BOA), Mr Waziri Aruna, expressed optimism that the centres would make a big difference in productivity because the private sector operators are involved, saying the bank was proud to be part of the project.

Former Commissioner for Agriculture in Zamfara State, Alhaji Suaib Abdulsalam, said farmers were grate for construction of silos, subsidized inputs and the provision of the equipment service centres, saying it would go a long way in alleviating the suffering of farmers and in increasing their production scale and productivity.

Adesina said by the time the government is through with its mechanisation plan, “hoes and cutlasses would be in the museums, where they rightly belong.”

“The full roll out of this programme is being implemented in stages. We have already started the process to establish the first set of 118 units of Agricultural Equipment Hiring Enterprises across the country. They will have 590 units of tractors, 500 power tillers and 500 harvest and post-harvest equipment. The bidding process, by the private sector, for these centers are being concluded this week and I expect most of the centers will be fully set up in the next two months.

“The first of the agricultural equipment hiring enterprises is what I am commissioning today in Zamfara State. Permit me to inform you of President Jonathan’s unwavering appreciation of the people of Zamfara State. Zamfara State is the first state in Nigeria to benefit from the agricultural equipment hiring centers’ initiative. Four agricultural equipment hiring enterprises are being established in Zamfara State, one to be located in each of ten three senatorial districts, while the fourth will be located in Gusau, the state capital,” the minister said.

Source:  http://www.tribune.com.ng/agriculture/item/20534-agric-mechanisation-fg-s-way-of-boosting-productivity-job-creation