By Remi Johnson
In other to revive the Tractor Hiring Scheme in the FCT, the Secretary for Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat (ARDS) , Mallam Abubakar Ibrahim says the Secretariat will track the movement of tractors to ensure that they are not taken outside the FCT.
The Secretary made this known during an interaction with Agric Field Engineers at the ARDS Central Workshop in Gwagwalada.
Mallam Ibrahim who said the Administration was not unaware of the critical role the provision of the tractors could play in boosting food production, hinted that provisions for the procurement of 12 tractors had been factored into the 2022 budget.
According to him, the tracking devices would help to monitor the use and locations of the tractors to ensure that deserving FCT farmers benefit from the programme.
Mallam Ibrahim further assured that the Secretariat would look into the provision of other Agricultural machineries to farmers as a strategy to improve food production and guarantee food security in the nation’s capital.
“The Administration is not only looking into the provision of the tractors but also other Agricultural machineries that will enhance productivity.
“We are equally aware of the need for maintenance which is why we will be investing in training our engineers to ensure that all our inputs and machineries are efficiently managed”.
On his part, the Executive Chairman of Gwagwalada Area Council, Mustapha Adamu Danze described the central workshop as an eye opener for the Council, which the council would key into the initiative.