By Olaitan Idris
The All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Lagos State Chapter, says only about 30 per cent of farmers in Nigeria currently use mechanised tools, while the majority still operate at subsistence level.
The Deputy Chairman of the association, Mr Shakin Agbayewa, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Lagos.
Agbayewa said low adoption of mechanisation was largely due to poor access to land, finance and modern farm equipment.
According to him, most farmers still rely on crude implements and manual labour, limiting productivity and preventing expansion into commercial farming.
“Most farmers in Nigeria today are still subsistence farmers. We are not yet operating fully on a commercial basis.
“If you are talking about the percentage of farmers using mechanised tools, it is still very low.
“Only about 30 per cent can be said to have access to mechanisation,” he said.
Agbayewa said many smallholder farmers cultivated limited land areas and could not afford tractors, planters, harvesters and other modern equipment.
He noted that the cost of hiring tractors and paying operators had become a major burden for many rural farmers.
In spite of the challenges, he said mechanised farming offered higher productivity and stronger returns on investment over time.
“Mechanisation may be expensive in the short term, but in the long term, it is profit upon profit,” he said.
Agbayewa said farmers who embraced mechanisation were able to cultivate larger areas, save time and reduce post-harvest losses.
He said they also recorded better yields because land preparation and planting were carried out more efficiently.
According to him, many Nigerian farmers are unable to enjoy these benefits because of high equipment costs, foreign exchange pressures and rising fuel prices.
Agbayewa said improved mechanisation would boost food production, reduce labour stress and make farming more attractive to young Nigerians.
He urged the federal and state governments to establish tractor hiring centres, farm service clusters, affordable equipment leasing schemes and low-interest financing for farmers.
He also called for local manufacturing of farm equipment and improved access to spare parts to reduce dependence on imports.
According to him, wider access to mechanisation is critical to achieving food security, reducing food imports and transforming farming into a profitable enterprise.
He added that increased mechanisation would enhance the competitiveness of Nigerian agriculture and attract more young entrepreneurs to the sector. (NAN)
