Bauchi distributes 40 tractors to farmers

Bauchi State governor, Mohammad Abubakar Abdullahi, on Tuesday began the distribution of farm machinery and fertilizer to farmers in the state. Out of the 500 tractors the state said it has bought for the development of agriculture, it distributed 40 of the tractors, rice planters and other farm implements at the Bauchi State Agricultural Entrepreneurship Development Programme centre (BSAEDP).

The governor said the machinery have been subsidised by 40 per cent. The beneficiaries according to him include state and local government civil servants, pensioners, large-scale farmers, federal institution trade union and cooperatives.

Other items distributed include fertilizers, herbicides, seed and manure planters, rice slashers and 100 units of motorcycles to extension workers across the 20 local government areas in the state. The governor pleaded with the beneficiaries to use the equipment judiciously and make prompt repayment of the machines to enable other farmers benefit from the programme.

The lead consultant of BSAEDP, Dr. Abdulmalik Yawale Nura, projected the state to be among the top five producers of food in the country in next four years. “This will be achieved through the establishment of pilot crop production scheme made up of 35,000 clustered Paddy Rice, maize, sorghum and soya beams farmers.”

One of the beneficiaries, Mr. Muhammad Bala Ahmed, thanked the governor and promised to improve on his outputs with the availability of the machinery adding that he brought his old tractor 37 years ago and couldn’t produce as expected.