The federal government has announced plans to train 819 tractor operators and mechanics at the Agricultural Mechanics and Machinery Operators Training Centre (AMMOTRAC) in Akure and Misau.
Temitope Fashedemi, Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, shared this development on Wednesday during a stakeholders’ workshop in Abuja, focused on reviewing the draft national agricultural mechanisation policy document.
According to Mr. Fashedemi, the draft policy aims to foster an environment conducive to mechanisation growth while building capacity for training, research, and technological advancement.
Represented by Ibrahim Tanimu, the ministry’s Director of Planning and Policy Coordination, Mr. Fashedemi explained that the planned training program would provide participants, particularly youths and women, with comprehensive knowledge and practical skills in operating agricultural machinery.
Emphasizing the significance of the mechanisation policy, he reiterated the government’s commitment to fully implementing the policy once approved by the National Assembly.
“The training will also deepen their knowledge and provide strong ground in agricultural mechanisation technology with excellent practical experience,” he said.
Mr. Fashedemi expressed appreciation to President Bola Tinubu for the Renewed Hope Agenda, aimed at revitalising mechanisation through partnerships with Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) like John Deere/Tata, Belarus Tractor, the Greener Hope Initiative Programme, and the Green Imperative Programme (GIP).
He noted that OEMs are set to supply 32,500 units of tractors with various implements and machinery over the next five years.
“This will provide the fulcrum and stimulate the youths and women into agricultural production in Nigeria,” he said.
Frank Kudla, Chairman of the committee drafting the policy, expressed optimism that the policy document would guide efforts to transform Nigeria’s agricultural sector.
“Agriculture, as we know, is the backbone of our economy. It employs a significant portion of our population and is essential to the livelihoods of millions of Nigerians. However, the traditional methods that have served us well in the past now require a transformation to meet the demands of a rapidly growing population,” he said.
