Photos: FG receives first batch of 2,000 Belarusian tractors to tackle food crisis

The federal government has received the first batch of 2,000 tractors from Belarus as part of its efforts to modernise Nigeria’s agricultural sector and enhance food security.

The tractors, which have been assembled in Abuja, were procured under a mechanisation partnership between Nigeria and Belarus formalised in September 2024.

Speaking on the development, Abubakar Kyari, minister of agriculture and food security, described it as a significant step in fulfilling President Bola Tinubu’s directive to transform agricultural activities across the country.

The minister had earlier announced the plan to import the tractors to encourage mechanised farming and tackle the food crisis in the country.

Read also: $70m foreign tractors: Local tractor manufacturers mount pressure, sure Tinubu will reverse deal

Alongside the tractors, the partnership includes the deployment of 9,072 assorted agricultural implements designed to support various farming operations.

To maximise impact, the tractors will be distributed through three key schemes: direct purchase for individuals and organisations wishing to acquire them outright, a leasing scheme that offers affordable access to mechanisation without the full costs of ownership, and a service provider model that establishes tractor service centers in farming communities, enabling smallholder farmers to lease tractors as needed.

The initiative, according to the government, is expected to improve farming efficiency, reduce manual labour, and support the government’s broader agricultural transformation agenda.

See more photos below