How I develop innovations to help farmers fix mechanisation problems –Nigerian engineer in Finland

Levi Habila is a Nigerian systems engineer living in Finland and working in agricultural technology, making sure that farmers and technicians everywhere get the information they need to keep their machines up and running. In this interview in Jos he explained the technologies he works on.   You are an engineer managing global knowledge systems […]

Levi Habila is a Nigerian systems engineer living in Finland and working in agricultural technology, making sure that farmers and technicians everywhere get the information they need to keep their machines up and running. In this interview in Jos he explained the technologies he works on.

 

You are an engineer managing global knowledge systems for one of the world’s largest agricultural tech firms. Tell us more about it.

Yeah, I work for AGCO Corporation, a big name in agric tech. It is a global leader in design, manufacture and distribution of agricultural machinery and precision, with popular brands like Valtra, Massey Ferguson, Fendt and PTx. As a technical information specialist, my main job is handling the knowledge side of things for these machines worldwide. I ensure that service manuals, operator guides, diagnostics books and safety instructions are spot-on and user-friendly, no matter the location. Take a farmer in Kenya fixing a tractor hitch right in the middle of planting season, or a technician in Brazil sorting out a combine harvester issue, they log into our digital portal, and boom, it is all there in their language with straightforward diagrams. We support gear in over 140 countries, so it is really about connecting the dots between the designers and the everyday users.

 

How did you transit from engineering smart innovations to governing the technical information lifeline for more than 140 countries?

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It felt like a natural step up for me. I started at AGCO as a senior project engineer, where I helped develop something called the Smart Top Link. It is a simple sensor system that automatically adjusts the connection between a tractor and its implements, like plows or seeders by creating a precise spread pattern. With the two sensor fitted to the front and rear of the spreader, it makes farming more efficient leading to better crop growth and increased yield. Working on that project showed me how important clear communication is, even the best invention flops if people don’t know how to use or maintain it properly. So, I shifted gears to the broader role: managing technical information for all our products globally. Now, instead of focusing on one gadget, I am making sure that knowledge gets to farmers in spots like Germany or South Africa, stopping breakdowns that could wipe out an entire harvest.

 

How is your work/contributions yielding tangible global results?

My work helps keep farms running without unnecessary downtime, which directly impacts food production around the world. For instance, the documentation I have reviewed has been used across five continents to cut down on repair errors. Imagine a technician in South America fixing a hydraulic issue faster because the guide is spot-on, meaning the machine gets back to harvesting soybeans quicker. AGCO’s overall impact is huge; in 2024, the company reported net sales of about $11.7 billion, supporting farmers who feed billions. On a practical level, better info means higher machine uptime. Let’s say, reducing lost hours from 10 per cent to 5 per cent on a large operation, which translates to more crops harvested and less waste. In Africa, where small farms dominate, this can mean the difference between a family having enough to eat or sell.

 

How would you describe the world of advanced agricultural manufacturing, innovation?

Oh, it is a thrilling, fast moving world where cutting edge tech tackles the real challenge of feeding everyone. Imagine huge factories with robots putting together tractors that are like rolling computers, they’ve got GPS for spot on planting, sensors checking soil health, and even over the air updates just like your smartphone. But innovation isn’t only about size; it is about smarter, greener farming. We are talking electric machines that slash fuel bills and pollution or modular setups where you swap parts like Lego pieces. Of course, it is tough too, companies have to tweak designs for all sorts of weather from Africa’s dry savannas to North America’s snowy plains, while keeping prices affordable for smaller setups.

 

As a technical information specialist, how would you describe the global flow of agric technical know-how?

Think of it as a global pipeline for info, streaming smoothly from the design folks to the people in the fields. It starts with engineers rolling out updates or new models, then we dive into changes like a fresh engine part and turn them into easy to follow guides. These get translated into various languages and loaded onto our online portal or even printed as manuals for anyone who needs them. In real life, a dealer in Europe might grab a wiring diagram to sort an electrical glitch on a Valtra tractor, while a training spot in Asia uses it for workshops. The goal is keeping that info flowing fast and right, so one country’s hiccup doesn’t grind things to a halt.

 

How are the smallholder farmers in Africa queuing into this vast agric technology; and how do they measure with the operations in Europe, North America, South America and other advanced countries?

Smallholders in Africa are dipping their toes in, mostly through budget friendly options like mobile apps or group rented gear. In Kenya, for instance, farmers pull up apps from companies like ours for quick maintenance advice on their phones or team up in cooperatives to share a tractor instead of owning one outright. But honestly, access is still spotty, a lot depends on hand tools or animals, with mechanisation pretty low in sub- Saharan Africa. Stack that against Europe or North America, where big farms roll with fancy autonomous tractors, and Africa’s pace is slower. Latin America tops the charts for tractor numbers, with Asia close behind. In South America, Brazil’s massive ops match North America’s efficiency, pumping up yields with precision tech. Africa has huge potential, yields could spike by up to 30 per cent with more AI and tools, but stuff like spotty internet and bad roads slows it down. That said, digital pushes are narrowing the divide, toughening up those small farms.

 

Are you satisfied with the level of agric mechanisation in Nigeria?

Not really, though there’s some progress being made. Nigeria’s farm equipment market is growing, sitting at about $17.17 billion in 2025 and projected to reach $22 billion by 2030, with a growth rate of around 5 per cent a year. We have got between 7,000 and 12,000 functional tractors across the country right now, which is an improvement, especially after recent government launches like the 2,000 new ones, but it is still way too low for our massive population and huge farmlands. A lot of farmers are still relying on basic hand tools, which really drags down productivity. The 2025 government budget allocation is still far short of the African Unions 10 per cent target. No, I am not satisfied, we need to invest more to keep up with global standards.

 

Do you ever consider bringing your wealth of knowledge and technical knowhow in agriculture to Nigeria, your home country to develop the agric sector?

Absolutely, it is something I think about often. Nigeria is where my heart is, and I see how smarter tech could change things like rolling out basic sensors for irrigation in arid zones to bump maize yields by 20 per cent to 30 per cent. I will be thrilled to team up with local companies or government programmes, maybe training techs or building custom knowledge platforms for our farmers. I can even advise on mechanisation drives. It is more than wishful thinking; my AGCO background could really link the global scene to local needs.

 

What do you think should be done to boost agric mechanisation and ensure food security in the country?

First things first, let’s crank up equipment access. The Tinubu government’s recent rollout of 2,000 tractors is a solid move, easing the load on smallholders and cranking up production. We need more subsidies or easy loans for machines, plus cooperatives for sharing costs. Training is key too, showing folks how to keep tractors going strong. For food security, pour into irrigation; better systems have already lifted harvests up North. Apps for weather updates or market prices would help heaps. All in all, the teaming public and private sectors could import tech from outfits like AGCO, and hitting that 10 per cent budget mark would scale it big time.

 

What other suggestions do you have on the way forward for agric development in the country?

Beyond mechanisation, we should prioritise sustainable practices like crop rotation and better seeds to fight climate change. Encourage youth involvement with incentives, maybe tech-focused agribusiness programmes in schools, with over 70 per cent of Nigerians under 30, engaging around 40 million youths in agriculture could add about $40 billion annually to our gross domestic product. Improve infrastructure: better roads to get produce to markets without spoilage and storage facilities to cut post-harvest losses, which are around 40 per cent in Nigeria and cost the country nearly $10 billion each year. Also, integrate climate action into policies like agro-processing zones that turn raw crops into products, creating jobs. Finally, foster research collaborations with international orgs and local universities to adapt global innovations locally. Simple steps like that could make Nigeria a food exporter again.