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- Targets annual produce over 2m staple foods
From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
President Bola Tinubu on Monday, officially launched the distribution of 2,000 advanced tractors and over 9,000 specialised farming implements under the Renewed Hope Agricultural Mechanisation Programme (HEDA), marking the largest mechanisation initiative in Nigeria’s history.
The programme includes 2,000 tractors of varying horsepower, 2,000 disc ploughs and harrows, 1,000 disc ridgers, 1,200 tractor trailers, 500 seed drills, 300 boom sprayers, 10 combine harvesters, 12 mobile workshops, and 9,022 sets of spare parts. These assets are expected to bring over 550,000 hectares of farmland into cultivation and produce more than 2 million metric tons of staple food annually.
The launch marked a pivotal step in the country’s ambition to become a global agricultural powerhouse by harnessing modern technology and empowering farmers nationwide. With the Renewed Hope Agricultural Mechanisation Programme, the government aims to revolutionise farming, boost food production, and secure the nation’s food future.
The flag-off ceremony held at the National Agricultural Seeds Council in Sheda, Abuja, signaled a major push towards modernising agriculture, achieving food sovereignty, and stimulating rural economic growth across the country.
According to a statement issued by Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu recalled his declaration of an emergency on food security two years ago, reiterating the administration’s commitment to transforming Nigerian agriculture from subsistence to a large-scale, technology-driven sector. He said:
“Two years ago, we made a promise when we came in on a Renewed Hope agricultural program. Then I declared an emergency in Agriculture towards achieving food security and sovereignty, which is the bedrock of any prosperous nation.”
He described the newly launched tractors and implements as tools that would make farming easier and more attractive, moving Nigeria away from outdated methods:
“We don’t have to use 18th-century methods for a 21st-century farming system. Nigeria must seek to achieve full agricultural independence and food security. Let history record this day as the beginning of Nigeria’s Agricultural renewal.”
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The President further declared:
“We envision Nigeria as a global power supplying quality farm products around the world. We are just beginning. We will do more. These modern implements will make farming easier and more sexy.”
President Tinubu stressed the importance of efficient deployment and accountability: “To all stakeholders receiving this equipment, deploy them with maximum efficiency. We will work with you, we will supervise you at various locations, and we will hold you accountable.”
He urged Nigerians, especially the youth, to take ownership of the agricultural transformation, highlighting the programme’s potential to create over 16,000 jobs and directly benefit more than 550,000 farming households.
Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, described the initiative as unprecedented in scale and ambition: “Never in Nigeria’s history have we witnessed an agricultural mechanisation initiative of this scale, ambition, and national focus. We are today unveiling the single largest mechanisation drive ever undertaken in our country.”
He added that the tractors would be deployed for the 2025 wet season farming and that spare parts have been secured for the next four years. The programme also includes mandatory operator training, GPS-enabled tracking to ensure accountability, a structured repayment model, and pro bono equipment allocations to research and training institutions.
The tractors and equipment were procured through a multi-billion-dollar bilateral agreement with the Republic of Belarus, formalised in September 2024.
Deputy Prime Minister of Belarus, Viktor Karankevich, praised the partnership and reaffirmed Belarus’s commitment to the programme’s next phases, which include establishing maintenance centres, local assembly plants, grain storage complexes, and training Nigerians in advanced machinery operation.
Karankevich said: “Agricultural mechanisation confirms the immense potential of Belarus–Nigeria relations, grounded in friendship, equality, mutual respect, and trust. We come to Africa as friends. We are ready to help you become masters of your land, to benefit your people, and to develop your industry, agriculture, science, and technology.”
