Chinese company to supply 80, 000 tractors to farmers

 Chinese company to supply 80, 000 tractors to farmers

… FG inaugurates three standing cttees for implementation

By Gabriel Ewepu

ABUJA- FOLLOWING the move to achieve mechanised farming in Nigeria a Chinese company, YTO China-Africa Machinery Corporation, CAMACO, has concluded plans to supply 80, 000 tractors to farmers.

This was disclosed during the inauguration of three standing committees by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, yesterday, for the implementation of the Agricultural Mechanisation System, AMS, under the tripartite Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, between the Federal Government, the States and YTO CAMACO at the ministry.

The eight states to receive the tractors include Sokoto, Zamfara, Adamawa, Kastina, Niger, Jigawa, Taraba, and Ebonyi.

The three committees inaugurated were Project Management Committee, Technical Implementation Committee, and Expert Consultative Group.

Ogbeh said: “This project was long conceived before we came into office, and it is to improve the agricultural sector in the bid to provide enough food for Nigerians.

“The country has low number of tractors, and we have less than 30, 000 tractors in the country. This tractorisation programme is an attempt to catch on and improve the agricultural sector and attract younger people, and also do away with hoe and cutlass.

“We want to assure you that this MoU will not be let down. Today, I declare the three committees as announced which are Project Management Committee, Technical Implementation Committee, and Expert Consultative Group inaugurated.

“We want the YTO China-Africa Machinery Corporation, to consider the weather condition and various terrains across the country when manufacturing these tractors. Please take good look at the engine cooling system because in the dry season we have as high as 40 degrees, and the northern part of the country is very dusty so look at the air filter. Above all, let us not be short of spare parts and capacity to handle them.

“We want tractors that will last for 15 years for our farmers’ use. We don’t have money to come back in two years and buy tractors because we must buy value for our money.”     

The Minister noted that Nigerians are stressed with food shortage and hardship at the moment, while some African countries come across the border to buy agricultural products, therefore he said the sector demands all year farming and food production in order to tackle the challenge with maximal food production.

Meanwhile, the President, YTO CAMACO, Mr. Zhao Zijian, who led the Chinese delegation, acknowledged the importance of food to the government and people of Nigeria and his country, which he urged the government to be committed to agriculture.

“Today, we are glad to be here and for the committees’ inauguration. I know Nigeria and China are two agric countries. China’s population is number one in the world, and Nigeria has big land mass for agriculture and food is not enough, but China has enough food.

“Agriculture should be the number one policy of government and for any country to import machineries is not enough but to build a mechanisation system to develop the sector sustainably and we must build a system in line with agriculture.

“We need government support to succeed and we support Nigeria and the government, and we are confident that in 10 years time we will develop a lot if we can work together”, Zijian said.