Food Crisis: ‘2,000 Tractors, Mechanisation Equipment Unveiled by FG in June Remain Unused in Storage’ – Farmers Lament 

As the wet season draws to a close, farmers across Nigeria are alarmed that the 2,000 tractors and mechanisation equipment unveiled by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in June remain unused in storage.

The programme, launched with promises to cultivate over 550,000 hectares and generate two million metric tons of food, was celebrated as the single largest mechanisation drive in Nigeria’s history. Yet, the equipment, procured in partnership with Belarus and meant to ease the burden of smallholder farmers has not been deployed.

Farmers’ groups warn that the delay could undermine food security efforts. Dr. Ogbo Douglas, President of the All Farmers Progressive Association, lamented that “the same government that declared a state of emergency on food security has left farmers stranded two months after the tractors were launched.”

Austin Maduka, who leads the Community Allied Farmers Association, described the situation as “disappointing and dangerous,” stressing that the delay has robbed farmers of valuable time in this year’s planting cycle.

From Kano to Kaduna, farmers echoed the same concern: the tractors offered hope, but with the season slipping away, expectations risk turning into frustration. “We watched the launch on TV with joy, but the tractors never got to us,” said Abdulrashid Na’ibi, a Kano farmer.

Officials at the Ministry of Agriculture confirmed that modalities for distribution are ready but said the ministry is still awaiting presidential approval. 

However, Minister of Agriculture, Senator Abubakar Kyari, assured that once authorised, the tractors would be rolled out with strict monitoring to prevent misuse.

Meanwhile, governors of the North-East have raised fresh alarms over rising input costs and the risk of food shortages, calling for urgent subsidies and robust dry-season interventions.