The Federal government in partnership with AGCOMS International Trading Partner has commenced the training of  4000 tractor operators  to boost mechanisation services across the country.

The project implement under the National Agricultural Mechanization project  coordinated by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMARD) through the National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF), in partnership with AGCOMS International Trading Limited and the Industrial Training Fund (ITF),

The programme commenced yesterday with the first cohort of 250 trainees beginning a two-week intensive residential training at CSS Farms in Nasarawa State. The trainees are the first of 4,000 operators to be trained nationwide to operate and maintain modern John Deere tractors and other agricultural implements under the Federal Government’s mechanisation programme.

The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari while declaring open the training program described , the initiative as a practical demonstration of the administration’s commitment to food security.

He said “This training programme is a direct expression of the Federal Government’s commitment to putting Nigerian farmers in charge of Nigerian food security. Two thousand tractors is a national investment. Four thousand well-trained operators is what turns that investment into a harvest.”

Speaking on the company’s role in translating the Federal Government’s mechanisation vision into practical outcomes, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of AGCOMS International Trading Limited, Chijioke Okoli, said: “At AGCOMS, we know that the value of a tractor is created by the person in the seat. Our training programme has been built to turn every new operator into a professional. We are honoured to deliver this alongside FMARD, NADF and the ITF.”

The programme also showcases the Federal Government’s commitment to leveraging public-private partnerships to accelerate agricultural transformation. While FMARD provides overall policy leadership and NADF drives implementation of the mechanisation project, AGCOMS serves as the programme’s private-sector technical and operational partner, bringing global equipment expertise, operator training capability and after-sales support.

“ITF complements the partnership by ensuring that the training programme meets nationally recognised vocational and technical standards.” He added.

According to the Director-General of the Industrial Training Fund (ITF), Dr. Afiz Oluwatoyin Ogun, building a modern agricultural economy requires the same commitment to skills development as it does to infrastructure: “The Industrial Training Fund is committed to ensuring that this programme meets the highest standards of technical training in Nigeria. Certified operators are the backbone of a modern agricultural economy.”

The nationwide training programme is expected to strengthen the operational capacity of the Federal Government’s mechanisation project by ensuring that certified operators are available to support mechanisation service providers across the country, maximise equipment utilisation and promote world-class maintenance and safety standards.

The Executive Secretary of  National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF), Engr. Mohammed Abu Ibrahim, described the exercise as another important milestone in implementing the Federal Government’s agricultural transformation agenda:

He said  “Every operator who completes this programme will step onto their tractor with the confidence, the skill, and the safety discipline that the equipment deserves.”

Beyond expanding Nigeria’s mechanisation capacity, the training programme demonstrates the Federal Government’s determination to ensure that investments in modern equipment are matched by investments in people. It reflects a recognition that achieving food security requires not only modern machinery but also a highly skilled workforce capable of operating, maintaining and maximising the productivity of those assets.

The program  will also provide youth employment as thousands of young Nigerians will acquire specialised technical skills with recognised certification, enhancing their employability while supporting the growth of mechanisation service providers and commercial agriculture across the country.

The program  jointly developed by AGCOMS, NADF and ITF,  combines classroom instruction with extensive practical sessions covering tractor safety, machine operations, hydraulics, field applications, preventive maintenance, troubleshooting and equipment management.

Participants who successfully complete the programme will receive jointly issued AGCOMS-ITF-NADF certificates of completion, while every trainee will receive a comprehensive John Deere operator’s manual developed specifically for the programme.

As the programme’s private-sector technical and operational partner, AGCOMS designed the training curriculum, developed the operator manuals and deployed experienced instructors to deliver the residential programme.

Beyond training, the company is providing technical expertise, equipment support, assembly, delivery and warranty services as part of the Federal Government’s wider mechanisation project.