The federal government has commenced mechanisation financing engagement with Springfield Agro, signalling a renewed push to deploy tractors nationwide to modernise agriculture and boost food production.
This initiative was disclosed during the commissioning of the Afcott Grains Sesame and Grains Processing Facility in Kawakin Tofa local government area of Kano state.
In a statement on Friday, the Head of the Department of Information, Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Ezeaja Ikemefuna, said the project was designed to unlock structured, long-term funding to equip all 774 local government areas with tractors, a move expected to improve farm productivity and strengthen national food security.
Vice President Kashim Shettima, who was represented by the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Abubakar Kyari, at the occasion, said Nigeria’s quest for sustainable food security required strong and integrated industrial capacity across the agricultural value chain.
“Production must be matched with processing. Mechanisation must be matched with financing. Policy must be matched with private sector confidence and long-term investment,” he said.
Shettima said the commissioning of the facility was more than the inauguration of an industrial plant, adding that it reflected the administration’s commitment to food sufficiency, value addition and agro-industrial transformation.
He said the sighting of the facility in Kano was strategic, given the state’s historic role as a commercial and agricultural hub.
“The establishment of this sesame and grains processing facility strengthens the domestic value chain, enhances export competitiveness, increases farmer incomes and generates employment opportunities,” he added.
The vice president also commended Afcott Grains and its parent company, Kewalram Chanrai Group, for their sustained investment in Nigeria, noting their long-term confidence in the country’s economic prospects.
He recalled the earlier commissioning of the Springfield Agro Crop Protection Chemical Plant, which he said had produced over 15 million litres of crop protection solutions, boosting local capacity and reducing reliance on imports.
Shettima also lauded the Kano state government for providing an enabling environment that continues to attract private investment.
Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano state, represented by his Chief of Staff, Dr. Suleiman Wali, at the event, said the investment reinforces Kano’s position as a leading agricultural and commercial hub in Nigeria and West Africa.
He said the state had made significant investments in mechanisation, extension services and irrigation infrastructure to support farmers and attract investors, in line with the federal government’s agricultural policy.
