Food Security: Nigeria trains 300 tractor operators, mechanics to address nutrition shortage –Minister

*Sen. Abubakar Kyari, Honourable Minister for Agriculture and Food Security, affirms the Ministry has trained over 300 tractor operators and mechanics on mechanised farming to address food shortage in the country

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security has trained over 300 tractor operators and mechanics on mechanised farming so as to address reported food shortage in the West African country.

ConsumerConnect learnt Sen. Abubakar Kyari, Honourable Minister for Agriculture and Food Security, disclosed this development Monday, September 29, 2025, at the training held at the Agricultural Mechanics and Machinery Operators Training Centre (AMMOTRAC), in Akure, Ondo State capital.

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Sen. Kyari said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) is aimed at boosting food security in Nigeria.

Kyari, represented by Mrs. Temitope Alao, South-West Regional Head of the Ministry, said the beneficiaries were invited across the South-West, South-South and South-East states of Nigeria.

The Minister also noted that the Southern part of the country with 70 million hectares of arable land and favourable climate conditions could not only feed Nigerians, but contribute significantly to global food security.

That realisation of the potential, Kyari stated, is hinged on the ability to modernise farming activities and embrace mechanisation.

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The Minister further averred that productivity in the agricultural sector of the economy has remained the constraint due to continued traditional farming practices across the regions.

He as well opined that the average Nigerian farmer cultivates less than one-and-a–half hectares of land, using traditional farming tools.

On significance of mechanised farming to increased food production

Kyari asserted: “Only mechanised system can drive agricultural success in developed nations, hence, the need for stakeholders in the country to support the Federal Government to enhance mechanisation.

“Youths in the country should embrace modern farming as a vocation, because they are the architects of modern farming in the country.

“Beneficiaries should also appreciate the training which will transform the sector in the country.”

Speaking at the event also, Dr. Marcus Ogunjobi, Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, said the initiative was a commitment to play a pivotal role in transforming Nigeria’s agricultural space.

Ogunjobi stated that to ensure food security in the country, there was need to move from subsistence farming to modern, efficient, and competitive agriculture, agency report said.

He also noted the transition was impossible without mechanisation because tractors and their implements were the workhorses of the revolution.

He said: “This is why this training is not just another programme; it is a strategic investment in human capacity, which is the most critical factor for success.

“This comprehensive manual you have before you has been meticulously designed to equip you with more than just basic skills.

“It will provide you with the theoretical knowledge and practical hands-on experience required to operate and maintain tractors safely, efficiently, and profitably.”

According to Ogunjobi, the objectives of the training well align with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the agricultural sector.

These, he noted, are to enhance productivity, create jobs for the teeming youths, and promote sustainable agricultural practices in Nigeria, report added.

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