Tractors improve farming activities by speeding up tasks, increasing productivity, and enabling sustainable practices. ACReSAL’s provision of tractors for farmers in FCT communities centres on facilitating the commercialisation and scaling-up of products in an aid to boost farmer’s agricultural fruitfulness and reduce manual labour.
The initiative, funded by the World Bank comprises the distribution of other farm inputs like seedlings, fertilizers, and irrigation pumps. The program aims to enhance soil fertility, increase efficiency, and support food security by empowering farmers to adopt climate-smart agricultural practices.
ACReSAL provided these tractors to farmers across Nigeria’s nineteen northern states, including the FCT. The tractors, meant for agricultural potency will improve soil fertility.The tractor provision has benefited farmers in these communities and supported Community Interest Groups (CIGs) with funding and other resources to enhance grassroots development and agricultural activities.
Smallholder farmers
Beneficiaries, particularly smallholder farmers, have reported improvements in their farming operations. Some other beneficiaries have also expressed appreciation for the improved quality of service and the opportunity to earn income as tractor operators. Mr. Samson attributed the rise in hectares cultivated, to the intervention by ACReSAL.
Suleiman Timothy from Tekpese community, Kwali Area Council, is a 52 year old farmer whose farming activities got a boost through tractor provision made by ACReSAL, resulting in multiple cultivation of hectares.
“It was difficult cultivating two hectares of land using manual labour, but with the tractor I’ve been able to make use of, I’m able to cultivate 8 to 10 hectares”, he said.
Tractors also allow farmers to complete tasks like plowing, tilling, and planting more efficiently, leading to increased yields and productiveness.Isah Samson is elated at the opportunity given to him by ACReSAL. A farmer by profession, the 35 year old resident of Pukafa community is currently one of the Community Business Agents (CBA).
“We have experienced poor farming mechanism in this community. In the past years, I was unable to farm 5 hecters of land and the community was unstable because of the hardship. But, with the intervention from ACRESAL, through the tractors and other inputs, I can now farm more than 10 hecters of land. Also the community was provided with solar machines”, Mr. Samson revealed.
Providing farmers with access to quality farm inputs is crucial for increasing agricultural efficiency. It will also benefit both farmers and the wider community. These inputs, including seeds, fertilizers and pesticides, directly impacting the quantity and quality of crops produced, leading to rising yields and better incomes for farmers.
Conclusion
These stories reflect ACReSAL’s project capacity-strengthening activities in Nigerian communities, in fulfilment of its mission. Higher incomes from increased productivity has led to improved livelihoods for farmers and their families, contributing to their social development.