Mixed reactions greet FG tractor hiring centres

To achieve this, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) took steps to commercialise the privatization of agricultural mechanisation in Nigeria.According to the ministry, no fewer than 590 tractors, various harvest and post-harvest equipment have been deployed to render mechanisation services to Nigerian farmers in 2015.“A total of 118 Agricultural Equipment Hiring Enterprises […]

To achieve this, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) took steps to commercialise the privatization of agricultural mechanisation in Nigeria.
According to the ministry, no fewer than 590 tractors, various harvest and post-harvest equipment have been deployed to render mechanisation services to Nigerian farmers in 2015.
“A total of 118 Agricultural Equipment Hiring Enterprises (AEHEs) have been done through a government-enabled self-sustaining private sector-driven agricultural mechanisation programme, established with nationwide outlook, but meant to be implemented in phases,” the ministry stated in its website.
The agric ministry said the first batch of the first phase of the programme has been established with 400 tractors, 500 Power Tillers, assorted harvest and post-Harvest mechanisation equipment. These were won by 80 Service Provider Operators (SPOs) across 28 states of Nigeria, including FCT.
 “In the first batch of 80 AEHEs, the equipment for rendering agricultural mechanisation services have been deployed to the respective states. Their locations are demand-driven and depended in the choice areas of the Service Provider Operators that won the bids; they were not government-determined or government-influenced,” the ministry stressed.
Our correspondent in Taraba reports, however that the deployment of the equipment does not meet the farmers’ demands.
An operator of the Agricultural Equipment Hiring Enterprise (AEHE) in Taraba, Sani Marke, also said more tractors are needed in the state to meet the demands of the farmers.
Marke, who is the Chief Executive Officer of Supernova Global Investment Ltd, one of the operators of the tractor hiring scheme in the state, explained that the number of tractors and other accessories given to Taraba State was inadequate compared to the farmers’ demands.
Sani said his company got only five tractors, five power tillers, two rice threshers, two corn shellers, one mini harvester and accessories such as ridgers, plough and harrows.
 He maintained that many farmers in the state have already indicated their interest in the tractor hiring services, adding they are only waiting for the rainy season to begin before commencing operations.
 According to him, there are currently three such operators handling the tractor hiring scheme in Taraba, explaining that each of the operators takes care of a particular zone in the state.
 “A lot of people have indicated interest for the equipment. There is need for more centres to be established in order to meet the mechanised farming needs of our people,” he said.
In Benue State, our correspondent reports that the scheme is yet to take off in the state despite been one of the vibrant agrarian states.
The commissioner of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Donald Gbugho, said he was aware that the tractors had arrived in the state but that the programme was yet to commence fully.
He said the project, meant to be driven by the private sector, actually took off in February this year with four people bidding for the contract from the state while two of them have been successful so far.
He said: “Letters of award are yet to be given to the two successful bidders from the state. We hope the scheme is successful because people are yearning for mechanised farming in the state.”
Gbugho however pointed out that the project would face challenges in the state if the federal government fails to accompany the tractors so far released to the state with harvesters, fertilizers, seedlings and other farming inputs.
Similarly, state chairman of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Comrade Aondona Hembe, said though the body is aware of the project, they are yet to be briefed by the director of Federal Ministry of Agriculture (FMOA) in the state.
“We don’t how it will work in the state,” he added.
In the same vein, AFAN’s secretary, Aondogu Saaku, has advised the federal government to ensure that the tractors, when made available, should be brought closer to the farmers at the grassroots for maximum benefit of the scheme.
He also stressed the need for the scheme to provide each local government with at least five tractors which would be further supplemented by the state and local government structures if the idea must succeed.
Joseph Utim, another farmer in the state, urged the federal government to send a minimum of 200 tractors to assist farmers in the state, adding that, “we will be very happy because it will assist us.”
Meanwhile, the FMOA director could not speak about the project as at the time of this report as he was said not to be in his office on several visits while calls and text messages to his phone were also not answered.
In Awka, the Anambra State capital, the Director of the Federal Ministry  of Agriculture and Rural Development in the state through a telephone call refused to disclose how the office has started the  distribution of tractors for hiring to the  famers.
The director who also refused to disclose his name, however told Daily Trust to get permission from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture before granting an interview on the hiring of  tractors to farmers.
Meanwhile the spokesman in the state Ministry of Agriculture, Mr Mike Afah, confirmed that the state government has entered partnership with E/Force  Agro Development Limited to start hiring tractors by next month to the farmers, adding  that farmers will get them for hire at the rate of N5,000 per day.