Sasakawa Africa Association (SAA) has unveiled a reform agenda to tackle Nigeria’s agricultural mechanisation crisis. 

The initiative emerged at a high-level summit in Kano. Dr Godwin Atser, SAA Country Director, led the discussions gathering stakeholders from the state Ministry of Agriculture, development partners, service providers, academics, and farmer groups. 

Participants met to address failures in past government tractor schemes.

Dr. Atser stressed the need for better management, saying, “Procurement is not impact. 

Impact comes from how machinery is managed, maintained, and deployed to serve farmers efficiently and affordably over time.”

Stakeholders agreed that fully government-run centres have failed with reasons which include weak governance, revenue leakages, and political interference. 

They endorsed a private sector-led or public-private partnership (PPP) model instead.

Under the new model, managed service providers would handle daily operations. They would face strict performance and reporting standards.

Dr. Farouk Kurawa, Managing Director of Kano State Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (KNARDA), backed the reforms. 

He stated that the mechanisation supports productivity, reduces drudgery, and strengthens market links.

Nigeria faces a mechanisation gap of less than 0.3 horsepower per hectare. This falls short of global standards.

To promote access, the summit proposed subsidies of 10 to 20 per cent ofmarket rates in the early years. These would target women, youth, and farmer cooperatives.

SAA must now finalise the Agricultural Mechanisation Centre (AMC) framework and roadmap.

It will work with state authorities and partners. Success could create a replicable model beyond Kano.

The reforms will shift from short-term tractor distributions to sustainable services. This supports Nigeria’s agricultural transformation and food security.

Source: Independent News