The government of Oyo State has declared the start of the second phase of the Tractorization Policy, a 50% land ploughing subsidy, to assist the state’s smallholder farmers for the 2025 growing season.
At a press conference at the Ministry on Thursday, 10th April, Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development Barr. Olasunkanmi Olaleye revealed this.
He claimed that Oyo State had one of the lowest food inflation rates in the nation, according to the National Bureau of Statistics, because of Governor Seyi Makinde’s enormous assistance to farmers.
Olaleye added that the state can also boast of becoming one of the country’s food baskets, with more than 9,569 tonnes of cassava moved out of only the Ibarapa zone into neighbouring states between December 2024 and March 2025.
Similarly, Olaleye hailed Governor Makinde for approving the continuation of the 50 per cent tractorisation policy, which began in 2024.
He maintained that the state government reached about 1,487 farmers through the programme in 2024, with about 6,090.91 acres of farmlands mechanically ploughed across the state.
The commissioner added that the state witnessed significant increases in productivity per hectare due to proper land preparation, as many small and medium-scale farmers transitioned from manual to mechanical farming methods.
According to the commissioner, the policy involves the state government paying 50 per cent of the cost of ploughing while the farmers pay half the cost of the entire land they want to cultivate.
He explained that the ministry has designated at least four extension officers for each of the state’s 33 local government areas. Farmers are encouraged to approach these officers, who will visit their proposed farm sites, take measurements, and send necessary information to the ministry.
“The form is free for those who want to participate in the tractorisation subsidy. If you don’t get the form, just approach the extension officers in your local government. Take them to your farm so that they can take the measurements. Once they upload it, we have our own gadgets here that we can use to see your farm immediately.
“While we deploy tractors, all the ones we are deploying are being tracked so that when they are working on your farmland, we can monitor them from our office here. So nobody can cheat the system.
“This initiative exemplifies Governor Makinde’s commitment to agricultural transformation. By reducing the cost of land preparation through mechanisation while providing climate information, we are addressing significant barriers to increased agricultural productivity,” the commissioner said.
It guarantees that food costs in Oyo State continue to decline he continued, and the state government will not give up.
In addition, the Chairman of the Agricultural Credit Corporation of Oyo State (ACCOS), Sheikh Taofeek Azeez Akeugbagold, stated that farmers can obtain loans and agricultural credit from the organisation in addition to the 50% tractorization program.
He praised Governor Makinde for showing sincere concern for the growth of agriculture and the welfare of the state’s hordes of farmers.
Source: Leadership
Image Credit: 21st Century Chronicles
