Yobe Partners BOA On Tractors, Farm Loans, Markets For Farmers

The Yobe State Government has opened discussions with the Bank of Agriculture (BOA) on a strategic partnership to expand mechanised farming, improve access to agricultural financing and strengthen markets for farmers across the state.

The Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Dr. Mohammed Goje, led the state delegation to a meeting with the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of BOA, Mr. Ayodeji Oludare Sotinrin, at the bank’s headquarters in Abuja.

The discussions focused on opportunities to improve agricultural productivity and rural livelihoods through access to tractors, affordable farm inputs, modern transportation and structured markets for agricultural produce.

A major highlight was the Renewed Hope National Agricultural Mechanisation Programme, which provides participating states access to tractors and implements with a 40 per cent presidential subsidy.

Under the proposed arrangement, the tractors would be deployed through an operational and maintenance framework to ensure effective utilisation and sustainability. The bank indicated that a tractor could cover about 600 hectares annually, depending on operational conditions and management.

The delegation also explored the 2026 Dry Season Smallholder Support and Value-Chain Programme, designed to help farmers access essential agricultural inputs through structured financing rather than direct cash payments.

Under the proposed arrangement, the state government, BOA and participating aggregators would collaborate to facilitate access to inputs, with repayment linked to harvested produce.

The programme is also expected to strengthen produce aggregation and market access through applicable minimum-price guarantees and offtake arrangements, helping farmers secure buyers for their harvests.

Another key proposal was the introduction of electric cargo tricycles to ease the transportation of agricultural produce from rural communities to aggregation centres and markets.

The initiative is expected to reduce transportation costs and post-harvest losses while improving farmers’ access to markets. Solar-powered charging infrastructure is also being considered to support the proposed transportation system.

The meeting further explored the establishment of agricultural hubs to provide farmer training, access to inputs, produce sorting and storage, extension services and market linkages.

The proposed hubs are intended to support the transition from subsistence farming to more productive and commercially oriented agriculture.

The engagement forms part of the administration of Governor Mai Mala Buni’s efforts to strengthen agriculture as a driver of food security, employment generation and economic growth.

Through the proposed collaboration, the state government is exploring ways to combine mechanisation, agricultural financing, improved logistics and reliable markets to expand opportunities for smallholder farmers.

The Managing Director of Yobe State Microfinance Bank, Professor Sherrif Almuhajir, accompanied Goje to the meeting, highlighting the role of financial institutions in delivering sustainable agricultural support.