• Abubakar Kyari describes initiative as national investment, harvest
•Programme to support deployment of 2,000 tractors, create skilled jobs, raise farm productivity
James Emejo and Deborah Adekoya in Abuja
The federal government yesterday commenced the training of 4,000 tractor operators, in a strategic intervention expected to improve farm productivity, create thousands of skilled jobs, strengthen food security, and maximise returns on the country’s expanding investment in mechanised farming.
The move also seeks to intensify the current administration’s drive to modernise the agricultural sector.
The nationwide programme is being coordinated by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMARD) through the National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF), in partnership with AGCOMS International Trading Limited and Industrial Training Fund (ITF).
It is designed to provide the technical manpower required to operate and maintain 2,000 modern tractors being deployed under the federal government’s agricultural mechanisation project.
Speaking at the commencement of the programme, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, described the training as a vital component of the government’s broader mechanisation strategy.
Kyari said, “This training programme is a direct expression of the federal government’s commitment to putting Nigerian farmers in charge of Nigerian food security. Two thousand tractors is a national investment. Four thousand well-trained operators is what turns that investment into a harvest.”
The first batch of 250 trainees has commenced a two-week residential programme at CSS Farms in Nasarawa State, marking the beginning of what government described as a critical human capital investment to support President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda on food security, job creation, and economic diversification.
Managing Director/Chief Executive of AGCOMS International Trading Limited, Chijioke Okoli, said the success of mechanisation depended largely on the quality of personnel operating the equipment.
Okoli said, “At AGCOMS, we know that the value of a tractor is created by the person in the seat. Our training programme has been built to turn every new operator into a professional. We are honoured to deliver this alongside FMARD, NADF and the ITF.”
The partnership underscores the government’s strategy of leveraging private-sector expertise to accelerate agricultural transformation, with AGCOMS contributing global equipment knowledge and operational support, while ITF ensures compliance with nationally recognised technical training standards.
In his remarks, Director-General of ITF, Dr. Afiz Oluwatoyin Ogun, said building a competitive agricultural economy required sustained investment in technical skills.
Ogun said certified operators would form the backbone of a modern mechanised farming system capable of delivering higher productivity and long-term sustainability.
Executive Secretary/Chief Executive of NADF, Mr. Mohammed Abu Ibrahim, described the programme as another milestone in the implementation of the federal government’s agricultural transformation agenda.
Ibrahim said every graduate of the programme would possess the competence, safety, and discipline required to maximise the productivity of the equipment, while ensuring efficient operations in the field.
According to him, the collaboration between FMARD, NADF, AGCOMS and ITF provides the institutional framework needed to build a skilled workforce capable of supporting mechanisation service providers across the country.
The initiative is expected to strengthen mechanisation service delivery nationwide, reduce dependence on manual farming, improve operational efficiency on farms, and enhance agricultural output, while building a new generation of certified technical professionals to support commercial agriculture.
Beyond the acquisition of machinery, the minister stressed that developing competent operators would ensure the sustainability, productivity, and longevity of the equipment, thereby protecting public investment and delivering greater value across Nigeria’s agricultural value chain.
The programme is also expected to expand employment opportunities for young Nigerians by equipping them with specialised vocational skills recognised under nationally certified standards.
Participants will undergo intensive classroom and practical sessions covering tractor operations, equipment safety, preventive maintenance, hydraulics, troubleshooting, field applications, and machinery management.
Successful trainees will receive joint certification issued by AGCOMS, ITF and NADF, alongside specialised John Deere operator manuals developed for the programme.
As the project’s technical and operational partner, AGCOMS developed the training curriculum, prepared the operator manuals, and deployed experienced instructors to lead the residential programme.
The company is also providing technical support, equipment assembly, delivery services, and warranty management under the federal government’s broader mechanisation initiative.
The initiative will not only deepen agricultural mechanisation but also stimulate rural economic activities, improve yields, reduce post-harvest losses, and strengthen the country’s drive towards sustainable food security.
The scheme is also expected to play a pivotal role in increasing agricultural productivity, expanding commercial farming, creating employment for thousands of youths, and supporting broader economic growth through a more efficient and technology-driven agricultural sector.