Kyari Praises NADF for Advancing Nigeria's Agriculture

Senator Abubakar Kyari, the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security in Nigeria, commended the National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF) for its strategic contributions to the Federal Government’s agricultural mechanisation programme during a side event at the 2026 Africa Food Systems Forum in Kigali, Rwanda. Kyari noted that NADF is enhancing the mechanisation drive by training 4,000 tractor operators and mechanics, which is essential for operating and maintaining agricultural machinery across Nigeria.

The Federal Government's mechanisation programme includes deploying 2,000 tractors and over 9,000 agricultural implements through a service-provider model aimed at improving farmers' access to mechanisation. Kyari emphasized that sustainable mechanisation requires more than just equipment procurement; it necessitates effective financing, maintenance systems, skilled operators, and accountability.

He called for increased private-sector investment and stronger partnerships within the agricultural value chain, viewing Nigeria's growing population as both a challenge and an economic opportunity.