Plateau Govt Acquires 150 Tractors For Farm Mechanisation

The Plateau State Government said on Tuesday that it had acquired 150 additional tractors at the cost of N1.5 billion as part of efforts to boost mechanised agricultural practices.

Mr Steven Barko, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, disclosed this in Jos in an interview with newsmen.

Barko explained that the tractors were purchased for the three Agricultural Services and Training Centres (ASTCs) located in the three senatorial districts of the state, to improve their operations and service delivery.

He said that with the additional 150 tractors, the training centres now had 300 tractors and nine harvesters at their disposal to meet the needs of farmers.

“Acquiring the additional tractors is also in fulfillment of the current administration’s dream of making agriculture the driver of economic development in the state.

“It is also to make Plateau the hob of agricultural mechanisation in the country.

“The 150 tractors are expected to ease the bid to commercialise agricultural practices in Plateau; that will, in turn, drive economic development in the state,” he said.

The commissioner said that additional N1.2 billion had been earmarked for the purchase of other equipment and implements, including combine harvesters, necessary for full mechanisation of agriculture in Plateau.

“Already, SEC Equipment and Communication Ltd have been contracted to supply the implements for the additional 150 tractors at the sum of N635,747,444,” he said.

Barko also said that efforts were being made to strengthen the Plateau Agricultural Mechanisation Company (PAMSCO) to deliver mechanisation services to Plateau farmers.

He said that PAMSCO, which is a parastatal agency under the Ministry of Agriculture, was primarily set up to render tractor hiring services to farmers at a highly subsidise rates.

“In the last farming season, some grounded tractors were put in order and PAMSCO recorded an increase in the land area cultivated from the previous 750 hectares to 1500 hectares. “Also, there was an increase in revenue generation from N1.2 million to N2.9 million within the same period.

“Currently, the company has 16 functional tractors and more will be repaired and put to use this cropping season,” he said.

“The sector is given this much attention because of the importance attached to agriculture in Plateau. We will continue to do more so as to make agriculture viable and attractive.”