The National Agricultural Development Fund (NAFD) has signed a contract agreement valued at $70million for the direct procurement of 2000 John Deere tractors.

NAFD was mandated by the Federal Executive Council to spearhead the deployment of 10,000 John Deere tractors across Nigeria, with an initial rollout of 2,000 units scheduled for the first and second quarter of 2025 and to scale it up to 10,000 over the next five years.

The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security Security Senator Abubakar Kyari, who witnessed the signing of the agreement between NAFD and AGCOMS International Training Center, the legal dealers of John Deere Tractors at the weekend in Abuja, disclosed that in October 2024, FEC approved the direct procurement of 2000 tractors, 100 combine harvesters among other mechanised implement.

He said that several engagements with John Deere culminated in signing the agreement, adding that the agreement spelled out the payment and delivery date.

Kyari further disclosed that programme is one of the four mechanised programme under the administration of President Bola Ahmed, saying the first one is the Renewed Hope mechanization program, which seeks to open up 25,000 hectares of farmland across the six geopolitical zones.

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He disclosed that the $1billion programme supported by the Central Bank of Nigeria is aimed to supply 10,000 tractors, including other implements.

The Minister added that there is also the procurement of 2000 Belarus tractors with 9000 items like planters ploughs among others and 330 combine harvesters, saying they have started receiving some containers at the Lagos ports and they have been assured that before mid of March, all 2000 tractors will be supplied.

He said the Green Imperative programme is being prepared to go to FEC, saying the programme has been around for about six years but has not gained traction. The FG government signed an agreement with the Brazil government of about 520million Euros and can attract up to $4.5billion in investment during the G20 meeting.

The Executive Secretary of NAFD, Muhammed Abu Ibrahim, said that the fund engaged with John Deere Tractors at the John Deere model farm and has also engaged in very rigorous and intensive negotiations on the terms of this contract, before coming into an agreement on the terms and conditions of the agreement.

Disclosing that the tractors will be delivered into the country by March, he disclosed that the Fund has signed an agreement with the Nigeria Port Authority to enable AGCOMS to set up an assembly plant inside the port to enable them to assemble and deliver the tractors across the country.

The Country Director of AGCOMS, Chijoke Okoli, said the agreement is a procurement agreement that contains assembling of the tractors and training youths and local technicians to repair John Deere tractors

He said the total procurement valued at about $70million covers transportation of the tractors to Lagos and Abuja collection centers.