Mechanised farming: Anticipate agro-machinaries at affordable rates – Dr Ahmed Adekunle tell Nigerians

Dr Ahmed Adekunle, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Nigeria Agricultural Mechanization & Equipment Leasing Company (NAMEL) has lauded the Federal Government of Nigeria over it’s consistent efforts to mechanise agriculture in order to increase farm productivity in the country.

Dr Adekunle in an interactive chat with newsmen at his office in Utako, Abuja revealed that the federal government has concluded plans to inject and disburse 10,000 brand new tractors to to farmers nationwide through NAMEL.

NAMEL, who recently signed a Memorandum of Agreement with the federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD), Tractor Owners & Operators Association of Nigeria (TOOAN), Tractors Owners & Hiring Facilities Association of Nigeria (TOHFAN), and John Deere on a private sector-driven mechanization programme also have other mechanization Service Providers (MSP) in it’s ecosystem.

The CEO further went to say that the MSPs, (TOOAN and TOHFAN) are a group of successful managers with financial credibility in single obligation of between 1 to 5 billion Naira with almost zero default.

In his words: “The President and the Minister of Agriculture said the government is tired of buying tractors and they are disappearing but at the same time, we must mechanize.

“That was why NAMEL was asked to identify successful bodies who can manage tractors very well and return guarantee on investment both on the side of the government and the private sector.

“The approval we got from Mr President is to work with these MSPs to deploy 10,000 units of tractors to the farmers nationwide through NAMEL.” he said.

Dr Adekunle also commended President Muhammadu Buhari for the revolution in the agricultural sector and expressed satisfaction with the capacity of the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh adding that “President Buhari has approved 35% bridging finance bringing while 25% of the 35% bridged stands as a grant.”

He further guarantee Nigerians to expect more mechanisation equipment at a very low and affordable rate as NAMEL is currently negotiating with manufacturers of agro-machineries, donor agencies and development partners to see how equipments can be leased out at less than 2 million Naira.