The All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Lagos State Chapter, says only about 30 per cent of farmers in Nigeria currently use mechanised tools, while the majority still operate at subsistence level.
The Deputy Chairman of the association, Mr. Shakin Agbayewa, disclosed this in an interview with reporters on Tuesday in Lagos.
Agbayewa attributed the low adoption of mechanisation to poor access to land, finance, and modern farm equipment. He noted that most farmers still rely on crude implements and manual labour, which limits productivity and prevents expansion into commercial farming.
“Most farmers in Nigeria today are still subsistence farmers. Only about 30 per cent can be said to have access to mechanisation,” he said.
He explained that many smallholder farmers cultivate limited land areas and cannot afford tractors, planters, harvesters, and other modern equipment. The high cost of hiring tractors and operators has also become a major burden for rural farmers.
Despite these challenges, Agbayewa said mechanised farming offers significantly higher productivity and better returns on investment in the long run.
“Mechanisation may be expensive in the short term, but in the long term, it is profit upon profit,” he said.
He added that farmers who embraced mechanisation are able to cultivate larger areas, save time, reduce post-harvest losses, and achieve better yields due to more efficient land preparation and planting.
Agbayewa, however, noted that high equipment costs, foreign exchange pressures, and rising fuel prices continue to deny many Nigerian farmers these benefits.
He urged the federal and state governments to establish tractor hiring centres, farm service clusters, affordable equipment leasing schemes, and low-interest financing for farmers. He also called for local manufacturing of farm equipment to reduce dependence on imports.
According to him, wider access to mechanisation is critical to achieving food security, reducing food imports, and transforming agriculture into a profitable and attractive enterprise for young Nigerians.
