Nigeria needs 81,000 tractors as mechanization ‘grossly inadequate’

Although over 70 per cent of the population works in agriculture, mechanization in Nigeria is woefully inadequate thereby slowing growth in the country’s agricultural sector, government and corporate officials have stated. According to the World Bank Agribusiness indicators for Nigeria, there are an estimated 45,000 tractors in the nation, translating to a density of 5.7 […]

Although over 70 per cent of the population works in agriculture, mechanization in Nigeria is woefully inadequate thereby slowing growth in the country’s agricultural sector, government and corporate officials have stated.

According to the World Bank Agribusiness indicators for Nigeria, there are an estimated 45,000 tractors in the nation, translating to a density of 5.7 tractors per 100 square kilometers. This is significantly less than the anticipated 81,000 tractors that would be required to meet the demand for tractors.

Tractor density is 0.2 horsepower per hectare which translates to 5.70 per 100 square kilometers, much less than the 1.5 horsepower per hectare (1.1 kW/hectare) recommended by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations.

In Nigeria presently, there are roughly over 200,000 irrigation pumps, 3,500 power tillers, and 45,000 tractors equipped with implements. Nigeria presumably has about 8,000 hundreds of square kilometers of arable land, given that the country’s overall arable land area is about 80 million hectares.

Approximately 90% of all tractor imports into the country comes from the public sector, after which the ministries of agriculture receive the tractors, which are primarily medium-sized tractors, while the private sector imports only approximately 10% of tractors or about 100 tractors annually, according to a World Bank report.

A typical tractor’s life duration is six to seven years, depending on the brand. It is projected that over 200 tractors become non-operational vehicles, despite an annual import of roughly 1000.

Despite being incredibly inefficient, the government policy on tractor imports and distribution utterly crowds out the private sector and makes it impossible for it to compete.

A few days ago, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security signed a Memorandum of Understanding with John Deere, one of the top makers of tractors to supply a minimum of 2,000 tractors every year to boost the country’s mechanisation drive.

This deal is expected to last for a period of five years, translating into a ‘minimum’ of 10,000 tractors during the period of the agreement.

The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Abubakar Kyari, stated that mechanization in Nigeria is ‘grossly inadequate’, adding that the ministry has reached an agreement with John Deere to supply more than 2000 ‘affordable’ tractors to help Nigerian smallholder farmers modernize their tractors.

Kyari noted that the deal was made possible following a meeting between Nigeria’s Vice President Ibrahim Shettima and top officials of John Deere at the recent World Food Prize Foundation that was held in lowa, USA.

The minister said the federal government and John Deere have agreed on a longer period for payment (between five and six years) with an average cost of N27 million for computerized tractors equipped with tracking devices that monitor the operational efficiency of the machines.

The deal will also allow John Deere and partners to establish an assembly plant in Nigeria for ‘after sale’ service delivery to farmers; something the minister believes will also create jobs for many Nigerians.

Experts hope the deal is actualized as the country has seen many of such MoUs in the ministry failing to achieve their purposes.

John Deere’s Vice President for Small Ag & Turf production systems, Mr Jason Brantley, said he was very excited to build on the company’s long history of mechanization with Nigeria with the announcement of the cooperation around the smart agriculture campaign.

He said that smart agriculture “focuses on solutions that are appropriate for smallholder agriculture and create an ecosystem that offers services to improve mechanization and yield. The solutions component also involves a local facility for the products to ensure availability for our customers that are here.”

Mr Brantley said John Deere focuses on mechanization in order to bring more hectares into production for Nigeria to improve food security

The John Deere vice president said they focused on access to finance, to enable farmers and SMEs to purchase these assets for productive use to serve their customers.

“We focus on the reliability and repair of this equipment to keep it operational and we focus on the technology and training to support the entire ecosystem and ensure that we’re upscaling all of the people that are involved in this ecosystem, with a focus on women and youth as well.

“We do all this working in conjunction with the ministry and also with our dealer in Nigeria, Tata Nigeria, who is on the ground every day to make these things a reality. We’re very excited about today and look forward to the discussions,” he stated.

The 5 top tractor brands in Nigeria

– Massey Ferguson tractors are some of the best-selling in the world. Massey Ferguson has produced tractors that are of exceptional quality and durability, revolutionizing agriculture all over the world. This tractor manufacturer is well-known for incorporating innovation into farming equipment and making it accessible to farmers worldwide.

– John Deere is a well-known tractor manufacturer that has been producing effective tractors for many years. The company started off making farm equipment and tools, but eventually, it started producing tractors under its own name. This brand’s extensive experience in manufacturing farm equipment enabled them to create tractors that can yield the intended outcomes in agricultural fields.

– New Holland is another American company that makes agricultural equipment and has been producing high-quality tractors since the 1800s to boost farm production. Because of their excellent performance capacity and beautifully built bodies, New Holland tractors are also utilized by farmers all over the world.

– Case IH tractors are a relatively new brand of tractors that are famous for providing farmers with the highest fuel and power efficiency. These tractors are built in a way that makes them easy to operate while consuming less fuel and energy. This brand offers various types of tractors to choose from including compact tractors, multi-purpose tractors, mid-size tractors etc.

– Fendt is a Japanese tractor manufacturer that specializes in producing efficient and affordable tractors. Tractors made by Fendt are renowned for their flawless operation and drive, even while doing the most difficult jobs. One of the main characteristics of Fendt tractors that makes them a top choice for many farmers when selecting their tractor brand is amazing traction, even on the most difficult track.