The Ekiti State government, through its Ministry of Agricultural Development and Food Security, has collaborated with Hello Tractor, a technology-enabled digital marketplace for tractor contracting in Africa to boost mechanised farming ahead of the 2024 planting season.
The Country Director of Hello Tractor, Nneka Enwonwu emphasized during her speech on Monday that the “strategic partnership” would empower smallholder farmers and promote efficient farming practices, ultimately contributing to enhanced food security in Ekiti.
Enwonwu highlighted that the Ekiti government’s agricultural agenda resonates with the firm’s dedication to implementing sustainable solutions in the agriculture sector.
“At Hello Tractor, we are excited about this partnership because it will empower smallholder farmers and lead to more efficiency in farming through mechanisation,” she said.
She continued, “From the local government extension agents to the booking agents, all the way to the technicians, moving towards mechanisation in line with the Ekiti State Agricultural Development Plan aligns perfectly with our company’s commitment to partner with states that are working on innovative and sustainable agricultural solutions for their people.”
Enwonwu said the global standard for mechanised farming is 200 tractors per 100 square kilometres of arable land, adding that countries in sub-Saharan Africa have a meagre 27 tractors for the same area.
She said Nigeria has way less number of tractors per 100 square kilometres of arable land.