The Osun State Government has approved operational guidelines for tractor services across farmlands in the state, as part of efforts to support farmers ahead of the rainy season.
The Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Hon Tola Faseru, who made the announcement on Monday, said the initiative aims to ease the cost of farm operations through a subsidised rate per acre.
According to him, interested farmers are expected to submit their applications either virtually or physically to the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry or the General Manager of the Osun State Agricultural Development Corporation (OSSADEC).
Faseru disclosed that the tractors will be stationed at OSSADEC farm centres spread across the state, adding that some tractors have already commenced operations on select farmlands.
He explained that the state government is setting up technical centres at designated locations for routine maintenance, while tractor drivers are currently undergoing training and retraining to ensure efficient service delivery.
The Commissioner also noted that the administration has adopted a public-private partnership model for the management of the tractors to ensure sustainability.
“We are happy to inform the public that the tractors are out for the rainy season. We are conscious of the question of sustainability, hence the careful approach to inject private sector practices,” he said.
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Faseru stated that the procurement marks the first time in over 14 years that the state is acquiring a new fleet of tractors, emphasising that lessons from past failures have been incorporated into the new strategy.
“We know we are not there yet. But Governor Adeleke has blazed the trail by procuring the first set of tractors. We innovated also because of ongoing issues at the local government level,” he added.
He stressed that the governor insisted on a business-oriented management system for the tractors, albeit supported with public subsidy, to avoid unsustainable practices of the past.
The ministry, according to Faseru, is also engaging farming stakeholders across the state to ensure wider access and efficient service delivery to end-users.
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