The Federal Government has begun training 4,000 young Nigerians as certified tractor operators under its national agricultural mechanisation project aimed at building a skilled workforce to drive agricultural mechanisation and support food security.
The two-week residential training programme commenced on Monday at CSS Farms in Nasarawa State with the first batch of 250 trainees. The initiative is being coordinated by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security through the National Agricultural Development Fund, in partnership with AGCOMS International Trading Limited and the Industrial Training Fund (ITF).
According to a statement issued by AGCOMS International Trading Limited, the programme is designed to ensure that investment in agricultural equipment is matched with the skilled workforce required to operate and maintain it.
“The Federal Government has commenced the training programme for 4,000 tractor operators under its national agricultural mechanisation project, with private-sector technical partner AGCOMS International Trading Limited playing a central role in preparing the skilled workforce that will power one of the country’s most ambitious agricultural modernisation programmes,” the statement said.
Speaking on the initiative, the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, said the programme places farmers and tractor operators at the centre of the Federal Government’s food security agenda.
“This training programme is a direct expression of the Federal Government’s commitment to putting Nigerian farmers in charge of Nigerian food security,” he said.
The Federal Government said the initiative aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritises mechanised agriculture, youth employment and increased food production.
It added that about 3,750 more trainees would participate in subsequent batches across the country as part of efforts to develop a new generation of skilled tractor operators to drive Nigeria’s agricultural mechanisation programme.
