The Yobe State Government is exploring a strategic partnership with the Bank of Agriculture (BOA) to expand mechanised farming, improve access to agricultural financing and strengthen market opportunities for farmers across the state.
The initiative is expected to boost agricultural productivity, reduce farming costs and improve the livelihoods of smallholder farmers through access to modern equipment, essential farm inputs and more reliable routes to market.
The Secretary to the State Government, Dr Mohammed Goje, led a delegation from Yobe State to a meeting with the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of BOA, Ayodeji Oludare Sotinrin, at the bank’s headquarters in Abuja.
Discussions centred on measures to support farmers through tractor provision, affordable financing, improved transportation and structured markets for agricultural produce.
A major focus was the Renewed Hope National Agricultural Mechanisation Programme, which offers participating states access to tractors and implements with a 40 per cent presidential subsidy.
Under the proposed arrangement, the equipment would be deployed through an operational and maintenance framework designed to promote effective use and long-term sustainability.
The bank indicated that a tractor could cover approximately 600 hectares annually, depending on operating conditions and management.
The delegation also examined the 2026 Dry Season Smallholder Support and Value-Chain Programme, which is designed to help farmers obtain essential agricultural inputs through structured financing rather than direct cash payments.
Under the proposed framework, the Yobe State Government, BOA and participating aggregators would work together to facilitate access to farm inputs, with repayment linked to harvested produce.
The arrangement is also expected to improve produce aggregation and market access through applicable minimum-price guarantees and produce offtake agreements, potentially giving farmers greater certainty when selling their harvests.
Another proposal discussed was the introduction of electric cargo tricycles to transport agricultural produce from rural communities to aggregation centres and markets.
The initiative is expected to reduce transportation expenses and post-harvest losses while making it easier for farmers to reach buyers. The provision of solar-powered charging infrastructure is also being considered to support the proposed transportation system.
The meeting further explored plans to establish agricultural hubs that would provide farmer training, farm inputs, produce sorting and storage facilities, extension services and market connections.
The proposed hubs are intended to help farmers move beyond subsistence production towards more productive and commercially oriented agricultural activities.
The engagement aligns with Governor Mai Mala Buni’s administration’s efforts to strengthen agriculture as a driver of food security, job creation and economic development in Yobe State.
By combining mechanisation, agricultural financing, improved logistics and structured market access, the proposed partnership seeks to address some of the major challenges facing farmers and create opportunities for increased production.
The Managing Director of Yobe State Microfinance Bank, Professor Sherrif Almuhajir, accompanied Goje to the meeting, underscoring the importance of financial institutions in delivering sustainable support to the agricultural sector.
Although discussions have focused on several areas of cooperation, the proposed initiatives will depend on the final arrangements agreed upon by the state government and the Bank of Agriculture.
