President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has launched a major agricultural mechanisation programme aimed at enhancing food security and transforming farming practices across Nigeria.
The event, held at the National Agricultural Seed Council headquarters, featured the unveiling of over 9,000 mechanised farming implements, including tractors and modern agricultural equipment.
President Tinubu said the initiative is a direct response to the state of emergency on food security declared two years ago. “This launch answers that call and marks a transformative step toward easing the burden of farming in Nigeria,” he stated.
He urged stakeholders to ensure accountability and efficiency in deploying the equipment to guarantee results.
Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Aliyu Abdullahi, said the programme aims to address Nigeria’s low mechanisation rate and increase it to 2.5 horsepower per hectare per day.
Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, described mechanisation as central to achieving national food security. He commended the partnership with AFTRADE DMCC for supporting local manufacturing of tools and equipment, which is expected to generate 16,000 jobs in the first phase.
Deputy Prime Minister of Belarus, Victor Karankevich, described the launch as timely and strategic, recalling the Memorandum of Understanding signed with Nigeria last year. He reaffirmed Belarus’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s agricultural transformation.
The programme is part of the Renewed Hope Agenda, focused on revitalising agriculture, creating jobs, and reducing food inflation through modern, technology-driven farming methods.
