- Taraba State has received a new batch of 53 compact tractors and 173 small tractors to boost agricultural productivity, with the application process underway for cooperative groups.
- Governor Dr. Agbu Kefas has halved tractor costs to make them affordable, offering flexible payment plans for both small and large tractors to support farmers.
- The state government, led by Governor Kefas, is committed to food security and transparent distribution, with broad support from local leaders and community organizations.
Taraba State Govt Receives More Tractors to Boost Agriculture
The Taraba State government has welcomed the arrival of the second batch of 53 compact tractors and 173 small tractors, ordered by Governor Dr. Agbu Kefas, as part of efforts to enhance agricultural productivity in the state.
Professor Nicholas Namessan Oliver, the Commissioner of Agriculture and Food Security, disclosed this development following a meeting of the tractor distribution committee at the Governor Agbu Kefas Agricultural Mechanization Center in Jalingo.
He stated that all 20 containers transporting the tractors are expected to arrive in the state within the week.
The committee has begun collecting application forms from cooperative groups interested in the tractors.
These forms require signatures from the cooperative group’s chairman, secretary, and treasurer, along with endorsements from local government chairmen and traditional rulers.
Governor Kefas has significantly reduced the cost of these tractors to make them more accessible to farmers. The small tractors, originally priced at nine million naira, are now available for four and a half million naira.
Farmers are required to make an initial payment of two and a half million naira, followed by monthly installments of forty-six thousand naira over four years.
Similarly, the larger tractors, which cost seventy million naira, have been reduced to thirty-five million naira. The initial payment is seventeen and a half million naira, with subsequent monthly payments of three hundred thousand naira for four years.
Professor Oliver assured that despite minor delays, the distribution process would be thorough and transparent, ensuring that genuine farmers benefit from the initiative.
He emphasized the government’s commitment to food security and the importance of supporting real farmers.
Dr. Aminu Jauro Hassan, Chairman of Jalingo Local Government Council and a member of the distribution committee, expressed the local government chairmen’s support for Governor Kefas’s programs and policies.
He commended the governor’s dedication to agricultural development and his efforts to reduce the financial burden on farmers.
Abubakar Mahmud, the Kuru Jibu, praised Governor Kefas for his efforts in improving security in Taraba State, which has significantly reduced incidents of kidnapping and banditry.
He also acknowledged the provision of fertilizers and other agricultural products to farmers, urging Tarabans to support the governor’s initiatives by fostering peace and development.
Other committee members, including Punarimam Daniel Atenji, Chairperson of the National Council of Women Societies, and representatives from the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the Muslim Council, also expressed their support for the governor’s agricultural policies and his vision for the state’s development.