NADF graduates 250 agricultural mechanisation service providers

The National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF) recently concluded the first cohort of its National Agricultural Mechanisation Service Providers Training Programme, graduating about 250 participants. The program aims to enhance technical skills and sustainability in agricultural machinery deployment across Nigeria. Out of the 4,000 tractor drivers and mechanics targeted for training, 250 were selected from across the six geopolitical zones for the initial phase.

The Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of NADF, Mohammed Ibrahim, emphasized that the graduation marks a significant milestone in the government's efforts to modernize agriculture through mechanization, innovation, and human capital development. The program not only trains machinery operators and service providers but also focuses on building essential skills, systems, and maintenance culture to ensure the sustainability of agricultural productivity and strengthen Nigeria's food and nutrition security.

The training covered various aspects, including agricultural mechanization service delivery, machinery management, safety, enterprise development, sustainable maintenance, and environmental conservation. The graduates will be certified by the Industrial Training Fund, qualifying them to be included in a national database of proficient mechanization service providers.

This database, developed by NADF, will support long-term public and private sector investments in agricultural machinery and equipment, fostering economic viability and responsible stewardship of assets. Ibrahim highlighted that sustainable mechanization should be measured by the ability to keep equipment operational, productive, and economically viable, rather than merely by the number of machines acquired.

The initiative forms part of NADF's broader interventions to address constraints in agricultural value chains, alongside programs like the Farm Input Support Programme and the Grassroots Digital Extension Corps, which have already benefited millions of smallholder farmers and trained extension agents nationwide. Ibrahim stressed the importance of collaboration between NADF, machinery manufacturers, service providers, and governments to make agricultural machinery more affordable and sustainable for all stakeholders.