By Isaac Atunlute
As Nigeria grapples with a deepening food crisis, experts argue the key to sustainable food security lies not just in policy and investment but in tractors, threshers, and the steady hum of mechanised farming.
The problem is clear: over 70% of Nigerian farmers still rely on rudimentary tools like hoes and cutlasses. As climate change, population growth, and insecurity strain the country’s food production systems, engineers, scholars, and entrepreneurs are calling for a decisive shift from hoe to horsepower.
This urgent message was at the heart of discussions during the 33rd monthly lecture of the Industrial and Production Engineering Alumni Association of the University of Ibadan. The event, themed “Sustainable Infrastructure and Resource Efficiency: International Development Perspective,” brought stakeholders together to examine how mechanisation could unlock agricultural productivity.
Delivering the keynote speech, Godson Ohuruogu, the Managing Director of TracTrac Mechanisation Services Limited, highlighted Nigeria’s alarming yield gaps, attributing much of the problem to the unaffordability and lack of access to modern equipment.
“A tractor that cost like ₦4 million to ₦5 million in 2015 now costs more than ₦55 million,” he said, citing the depreciation of the naira and dependence on imported machinery. “How many cooperatives or investors can afford that?”
Ohuruogu proposed a more sustainable approach: local manufacture. He argued that developing a homegrown mechanisation system—comprising small-scale equipment production, innovation hubs, and vocational training in agro-engineering—would reduce costs, stimulate local innovation and create jobs for young Nigerians.
Financing remains a hurdle, however. According to Ohuruogu, many private investors have been discouraged by unreliable government intervention programmes. “Farmers wait for government inputs that never materialise,” he said. “This puts planting behind schedule, disrupts planning, and drives serious investors from the business.”
Despite the setbacks, there are encouraging signs of progress.
In Kaduna and Nasarawa states, public-private partnerships are beginning to transform smallholder farming. Initiatives like Tractor-on-Demand, driven by startups such as Hello Tractor, are enabling farmers to rent equipment via mobile apps–bridging the gap between ownership and purchase.
With GPS tracking and online reservations, farmers can now secure ploughing services at a fraction of the usual cost, with improved efficiency and faster turnaround.
Adding another layer to the conversation, Prof. John Adeoti of the Nigerian Institute of Social and Economic Research stressed the importance of sustainable infrastructure, which he described as being integral to sustainable development.
Stakeholders agreed that greater transparency in fund utilisation, stronger agricultural policy, and targeted support for small-scale farmers are essential to making mechanisation work.
Beyond the lectures and debates, a blueprint is unfolding: invest in mechanised agriculture, encourage local innovation, build infrastructure, and hold institutions accountable.
These interlinked solutions, if implemented collectively, could finally tilt the scales towards food security. Because in the end, mechanised farming—backed by strong institutions and local ingenuity—may be Nigeria’s clearest path to ending hunger and building a resilient agricultural future..
Nigeria is facing a severe food crisis, with over 70% of its farmers relying on traditional farming tools. To tackle this issue, experts advocate a shift towards mechanised farming, which was a central theme at the Industrial and Production Engineering Alumni Association's lecture in the University of Ibadan. The high cost of tractors due to currency depreciation is a major barrier, with Godson Ohuruogu of TracTrac Mechanisation Services suggesting local manufacturing and innovation hubs as a solution to reduce costs and stimulate local job creation.
Financing mechanisation is challenging due to unreliable government programs, discouraging private investors. However, initiatives like "Tractor-on-Demand" by Hellos Tractor, which allow farmers to rent equipment affordably via mobile apps, are showing promise. Prof. John Adeoti emphasized the need for sustainable infrastructure, transparency in fund utilisation, and robust agricultural policies to support small-scale farmers. Implementing these strategies collectively could enhance food security, making mechanised farming a potential game-changer for Nigeria.
