The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Sen Abubakar Kyari, has assured that the government will target the production of 2,000 tractors in-country yearly to enhance food production, create jobs for Nigerian farmers, as well as achieving food and nutrition security.
Kyari stated this while receiving in audience a delegation from John Deere led by its Vice President, Jason Braintley, to his office Friday in Abuja.
The minister noted that the visit was a follow-up to the meeting between Nigeria’s Vice President Ibrahim Shettima and top officials of John Deere at the recent World Food Prize Foundation held in lowa, USA.
According to him, when produced, the government would not off-take the tractors but provide the enabling environment to make the tractors affordable at low-interest rate to Nigerian farmers and boost all-year round farming.
Sen. Kyari pointed out there was a need for farmers to form clusters or co-operatives to ensure that they have access to mechanisation and pay instalmentally within a few years.
In his remarks, Minister of State, Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Aliyu Abudullahi, stressed the need to evaluate existing co-operatives and ascertain those that require support to enable them access the tractors when available.
He also stressed the importance of identifying crops most suited for mechanisation.
The Vice President of John Deere, Jason Braintley, said the company was exploring the feasibility of hiring, acquisition and production, in addition to after-sales services, supply of genuine spare parts and training of operators and mechanics.
The capacity of the tractors would range between 75 and 90 horse-power for use in different terrains in the country.
