Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with John Deere, an agricultural machinery company in furtherance of meeting the Ministry’s production of 2,000 tractors annually to enhance mechanized farming.
The MoU, signed on behalf of Nigeria by Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, is to boost food production, food and nutrition security, and job creation.
Speaking recently during the signing and exchange of documents in Abuja recently, Kyari recalled that it was a follow-up to the meeting between Nigeria’s Vice President Ibrahim Shettima and top officials of John Deere at the recent World Food Prize Foundation held in lowa, USA.
The Minister stated that the strategic partnership aims to establish a tractor plant in Nigeria reflecting the Federal Government’s commitment to modernizing agriculture and promoting self-sufficiency in food production.
He highlighted the multifaceted benefits of this initiative, including increased food production, employment opportunities and advancement in the nation’s food and nutrition.
According to a statement by the Ministry, Senator Kyari revealed that JohnDeere was a leading development manufacturing of Agricultural Machinery and was over 186 years and have the experience with good brand name that had been in the forefront of Agriculture.
Kyari added that John Deere (Asia Private Limited) had the experience and record, noting that the company would train artisans on how to operate the Machinery.
Speaking further, he stated that when produced, government would not off-take the tractors but provide the enabling environment to make the tractors affordable at low-interest rate to Nigerian farmers and boost all-year round farming.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Ernest Umakhihe stated that it was an effort making event and recalled what had led to it, reiterating that it was the outcome of the Hon. Minister’s visit to Vice President for the World Food Prize Foundation event, that they had engaged with John Deere to come to Nigeria to have an assembly plant to produce tractors to farmers at affordable rate.
In his words, “Everyone is excited about it and to put pen to paper today is a realization of that promise, getting the MoU signed, other activities would follow with implementation”.
Dr. Umakhihe added that the MoU was generic and would usher in more MoU’s and guidelines on implementing the agreement reached.
In his remarks, the Vice President of John Deere, Jason Braintley noted that the agreement signifies a shared vision among the parties involved to scale up proven practices in Nigeria.
He emphasized the importance of matching the right implements with the right tractor in specific areas considering the diverse conditions across the country.