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In a bold move that has sent waves of excitement across Benue State, Governor Hyacinth Iormem Alia on November 17, 2025, flagged off the distribution of 41 brand-new tractors to farmers and cooperative societies across the state. The colorful ceremony, held in Makurdi, marks the beginning of what the governor described as Benue’s irreversible journey toward full agricultural mechanization.
The tractors, a mix of high-horsepower utility and heavy-duty models, are the first batch in a larger procurement plan aimed at replacing the aged and often dilapidated equipment currently in use by most farmers in the state. Speaking at the event, Governor Alia reiterated his administration’s commitment to transforming Benue from a largely subsistence farming region into Nigeria’s undisputed food basket through deliberate investment in modern farming technology.
“This is not just about tractors,” the governor said as he stood beside one of the gleaming yellow machines. “This is about dignity for our farmers, higher yields, reduced drudgery, and food security for our people and the nation. By December 2025, we will launch an aggressive dry-season farming programme that will see thousands of hectares brought under irrigation and mechanized cultivation.”
The 41 tractors will be deployed through a structured hire-purchase arrangement that allows registered farmers’ cooperatives to access the equipment at heavily subsidized rates, with flexible repayment plans spread over several farming seasons. The initiative is part of the broader Benue State Agricultural Mechanization Programme, which also includes the planned establishment of tractor service centers in all three senatorial zones and the training of hundreds of young people as certified tractor operators and mechanics.
Farmers at the event could barely contain their joy. Many described the development as a dream come true, especially coming at a time when the high cost of hiring private tractors has remained a major bottleneck to expanding cultivated land. “For years we have been begging for this kind of support,” said Mrs. Veronica Agbo, chairperson of a women farmers’ cooperative in Gwer-West. “With these tractors, we can clear and plough more land and harvest on time. This is the real change we voted for.”
The rollout has also been welcomed by agricultural economists who note that mechanization is the fastest route to bridging Nigeria’s widening food production gap. Benue, despite being blessed with fertile soil and two major rivers, has in recent years struggled to meet its potential due to reliance on manual labour and outdated tools. The new tractors are therefore seen as a critical step toward reversing that trend.
While details of the total procurement cost were not disclosed at the event, sources close to the government indicate that the state is partnering with both local and international equipment manufacturers to ensure steady supply and after-sales support. More batches of tractors, power tillers, planters, and harvesters are expected to arrive in the coming months.
As the sun set over the Government House grounds and the roar of tractor engines filled the air during the demonstration session, one thing became clear: Governor Alia has thrown down the gauntlet. Benue farmers are being handed the tools, literally, to feed themselves and the nation. The next few planting seasons will tell just how far these 41 tractors, and those still to come, can take Africa’s acclaimed food basket.
For now, the message from Makurdi is simple: the era of cutlasses and hoes as the primary tools of farming in Benue is gradually coming to an end. A new, mechanized dawn is breaking.
