National Food Security: NECAS inaugurates 600 new tractors

The North East Commodity Association (NECAS) has inaugurated 600 new tractors to facilitate national food security and production.

Inaugurating the tractors in Yola, Mr Sadiq Daware, the National Chairman of the association, said NECAS was established to empower farmers across the northeast region.

Daware said that the association is in partnership with the Central Bank of Nigeria, Bank of Agriculture and other critical stakeholders to support agricultural development in the region.

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“Today, we are inaugurating 600 John Deere modern tractors for the farmers in the North East region to fast track mechanised farming system.

“NECAS with less than two years of active support for farmers has empowered over 500,000 farmers across the region through direct inputs and extension services,” Daware said.

He noted that Adanawa farmers would benefit 150 tractors out of the 600 because it has the highest registered number of farmers in the region.

He thanked the Federal Government for supporting the association, adding that the tractors will be divided across the farmer members into the six states of the region.

Gov. Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa expressed optimism about the giant stride of the association in supporting farmers to actualize food production for national security.

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Fintiri assured that his administration would give agriculture maximum support to attract more business opportunities and boost food production.

“We will make agriculture more attractive for business and we would also extend our support to animal husbandry business to improve our Internal Revenue Generation,” Fintiri said.

The governor appealed to the beneficiary farmer groups to use the tractors judiciously and not to sell for the benefit of the region.

Mr Okli Chijioke, a representative of John Deere Tractors, said the company would train about 1,200 people on how to use and maintain the tractors.