On assuming office, President Bola Tinubu placed food security at the core of his administration’s agenda, framing it as both an economic necessity and a national security imperative.
This priority informed his declaration of a state of emergency on food security in July 2023, a move officials say reshaped Nigeria’s agricultural strategy.
The declaration shifted emphasis from policy debates to practical, on-the-ground initiatives aimed at boosting production, stabilising markets and improving food access nationwide.
Central to this shift is Nigeria’s partnership with Belarus to acquire 10,000 tractors over five years under the Belarus Agricultural Mechanisation Programme.
Officials said the initiative was a major step towards modernising farming while equipping young Nigerians with practical skills in mechanised agriculture.
With Belarus providing equipment and technical support, the programme is expected to create jobs, reduce food imports and revitalise rural economies.
Complementing this is the Greener Hope Agricultural Mechanisation Programme, designed to further enhance food production and strengthen agricultural resilience.
In June 2025, President Tinubu inaugurated 2,000 tractors for nationwide deployment under the Renewed Hope Agricultural Mechanisation Programme.
The initiative aims to empower smallholder farmers with modern equipment, reduce manual labour and greatly increase crop yields.
Government projections indicate the programme will produce over two million metric tonnes of staple foods while creating jobs for youths and women.
The tractors have been delivered, with plans to deploy them through Agricultural Mechanisation Service Centres to ensure affordability, maintenance and efficient service delivery.
At the unveiling, President Tinubu reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to transforming agriculture through mechanisation and national food security.
He stated that the rollout was a landmark moment in his food security agenda and a crucial effort to empower farmers and stimulate rural development.
“When deployed, the equipment will empower mechanisation, create job opportunities and make farming easier,” Tinubu said.
He added, “We made a promise when we came in. We are fulfilling that promise. Two years ago, I sounded the alarm on our nation’s food security”.
Tinubu stressed that agricultural productivity was synonymous with national stability and food sovereignty.
Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Abubakar Kyari, said the unveiling was a defining milestone in Nigeria’s agricultural transformation.
“It is a bold affirmation that under President Tinubu, agriculture is once again at the heart of our national development strategy,” Kyari said.
“Never in Nigeria’s history have we witnessed an agricultural mechanisation initiative of this scale, ambition and national focus,” he added.
Kyari noted that the programme unveiled 2,000 tractors, harvesters, mobile workshops, over 9,000 implements and spare parts.
He said the initiative would cultivate over 550,000 hectares, produce over two million metric tonnes of staples and directly benefit 550,000 farming households.
Beyond mechanisation, agro-industrialisation remains a key pillar of the administration’s agricultural reforms.
The Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones programme is designed to drive industrial transformation across the agricultural value chain.
At the SAPZ groundbreaking in Ijaiye, Ibadan, Vice-President Kashim Shettima described the initiative as a catalyst for industrial revolution.
Represented by Kyari, Shettima said the programme marked a decisive stride toward building a resilient, self-sufficient and prosperous Nigeria.
“This is not just infrastructure, It is a bold declaration that Nigeria’s future lies in value-added agricultural production.
“The SAPZ initiative is a cornerstone of the Renewed Hope Agenda championed by President Tinubu,” Shettima added.
Youth and women inclusion has also featured prominently in the administration’s food security strategy.
Kyari said empowering youth and women farmers would accelerate development, boost production and revitalise agribusiness.
According to him, young entrepreneurs drive innovation, create economic opportunities and foster inclusive agricultural growth.
Meanwhile, Minister of State for Agriculture, Sen. Aliyu Abdullahi, said government was promoting year-round farming.
He disclosed that a Dry Season Farming Initiative covering 500,000 hectares had commenced nationwide.
“The first phase focused on wheat in 15 states, while the second phase covers rice, maize and cassava,” Abdullahi said.
To strengthen planning and competitiveness, the Federal Government signed an MoU with the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) on agricultural produce traceability and farmland monitoring.
Kyari said the agreement was “strategic and symbolic” for Nigeria’s participation in global markets.
NASRDA Director-General, Dr Mathew Adepoju, said satellite technology would be deployed to trace agricultural produce.
“We will continuously support the ministry’s programmes and ensure full implementation of the MoU,” Adepoju said.
Permanent Secretary, Dr Marcus Ogunbiyi, said traceability and deforestation-free supply chains had become global imperatives.
The government also reported steady growth in agricultural output during the 2025 wet season.
Presenting the 2025 Agricultural Performance Survey, Kyari said production of major staples rose above 2024 levels.
“This progress, coupled with significant price drops, reflects improved supply and cumulative intervention effects,” he said.
Similarly, Prof. Yusuf Ahmad, Executive Director of the National Agricultural Extension and Research Liaison Services (NAERLS), said maize, rice and sorghum prices dropped by over 50 per cent nationwide.
Also, Vice-Chancellor of ABU Zaria, Prof. Adamu Ahmed, said Nigerian farmers had shown remarkable resilience.
“Our task now is to make agriculture more adaptive, efficient and data-driven,” he said.
To address financing gaps, Kyari disclosed that President Tinubu approved N1.5 trillion recapitalisation of the Bank of Agriculture.
He added that a N250 billion financing window for smallholder farmers had also been approved.
Kyari said agriculture remains the backbone of Nigeria’s economy and central to national renewal.
“Independence is not only political; it is economic and agricultural self-reliance,” he said.
“With President Tinubu at the helm, Nigeria will achieve food sovereignty where no family goes hungry,” Kyari added.
However, some agricultural economists caution that mechanisation alone cannot resolve Nigeria’s deep-rooted food insecurity challenges without parallel investments in infrastructure and security.
Dr Muhammad Ibrahim, an agricultural economist, said poor rural roads, storage deficits and insecurity still limit farmers’ ability to maximise mechanisation gains.
“Tractors increase output, but without access roads, storage facilities and stable markets, farmers may still incur post-harvest losses,” Ibrahim said.
Similarly, food systems analyst Dr Aisha Bello warned that affordability remains a major concern for smallholder farmers.
“If access to mechanisation services is not subsidised and transparent, smallholders risk exclusion despite the scale of these interventions,” she said.
Some farmer groups have also urged caution, stressing the need for inclusive deployment models.
A maize farmer in Kaduna, who requested anonymity, said, “Mechanisation is welcome, but farmers need clarity on costs, availability and maintenance support”.
Climate experts further argue that mechanisation must be aligned with climate-smart agriculture.
Dr Samuel Onyekachi, an environmental policy researcher, said erratic rainfall and soil degradation could undermine productivity gains.
“Without climate adaptation measures, higher production targets may not be sustainable in the long term,” he said.
Civil society organisations have also called for stronger monitoring and transparency.
The Agriculture and Food Security Network said independent oversight was needed to ensure equitable tractor allocation and prevent elite capture.
In spite of the concerns, most experts agree that the administration’s interventions mark a huge departure from past approaches.
They stress that sustained implementation, accountability and farmer-centred execution will determine whether the reforms translate into lasting food security.
By Doris Esa,
NAN
