By; SANI ALIYU, Zaria
The Emir of Saminaka in Kaduna State, Alhaji Ibrahim Sani has said, that the U-Farm Africa Tractors for Grains Initiative is a motivator to smaller farmers to improve their productivity.
He stated this while flagging off a tractors hiring scheme by the U-Farm Africa at Sabon Birni District.
Alhaji Ibrahim Sani said this development will assist the peasant farmers to improve their productivity at the end of the farming season.
The emir advised the beneficiaries of the scheme to be sincere and pay what they are expected to when due.
He commended the company for this laudable initiative towards improving and encouraging smaller farmers to do more than what they used to produce.
The emir assured the company of the traditional institutions in Lere Local Government Area’s support towards achieving their goals on agricultural development among the smaller farmers in Nigeria.
In his remarks, the Country Manager U-Farm Africa, Mr. Olalekan Ilori said their main target is smaller farmers because they are very important to the company.
He said the tractors are for hiring services, not for sale because they are for grains initiative support to smaller farmers.
According to him, if smaller farmers embrace this technology, the issue of production losses will be history.
Mr. Ilori added that the Micromec Crop Doctor machine was designed for the needs of the smaller farmers with an affordable price for the hiring services.
On the mode of payment, he said a farmer will be required to deposit 20% of the money charged, while the balance is to be settled after harvest.
He said, in the case of a farmer who wants to hire but doesn’t have the money, the services can still be made available.
The mechanized inputs are tractor, mini tractors and solar knap sprayer.
Three local government areas are the first beneficiaries they are, Lere, Soba and Kachia Local government respectively.
Some of the farmers, Rabi Isah and Ezekiel Joshua expressed happiness that a new and simple agric mechanization is at their doorsteps.
They commended the U-Farm Africa for choosing Saminaka as one of the beneficiaries of the initiative.
