The federal government says plans are underway to train 819 tractor operators and mechanics at the Agricultural Mechanics and Machinery Operators Training Centre (AMMOTRAC) in Akure and Misau.

Temitope Fashedemi, permanent secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, stated this on Wednesday at a stakeholders workshop on the review of the draft national agricultural mechanisation policy document in Abuja.

He said the draft policy sought to create an enabling environment for mechanisation development and build capacity for training, research and technology development.

Ibrahim Tanimu, the director of planning and policy coordination at the ministry, represented Mr Fashedemi.

He said the proposed training was designed to equip participants (youths and women) with broad knowledge and practical skills in handling agricultural machinery.

Mr Fashedemi underscored the importance of the mechanisation policy and reiterated the government’s commitment to ensure the full implementation of the document when passed by the National Assembly.

“The training will also deepen their knowledge and provide strong ground in agricultural mechanisation technology with excellent practical experience,” he said.

He thanked President Bola Tinubu for the Renewed Hope Agenda, which sought to reinvigorate mechanisation deployment through the engagement of Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) such as John Deere/Tata, Belarus tractor, Greener Hope Initiative Programme and Green Imperative Programme (GIP).

Mr Fashedemi said OEMs would provide 32,500 units of tractors with implements and other assorted machinery for the next five years.

“This will provide the fulcrum and stimulate the youths and women into agricultural production in Nigeria,” he said.

Earlier, Frank Kudla, chairman of the committee on the draft policy, expressed hope that the document review would serve as a guiding framework for the transformation of the nation’s agricultural sector.

“Agriculture, as we know, is the backbone of our economy. It employs a significant portion of our population and is essential to the livelihoods of millions of Nigerians.

” However, the traditional methods that have served us well in the past now require a transformation to meet the demands of a rapidly growing population,” he said.

 (NAN)