25/08/2026
Adebusuyi Urges FG to Revive Silos, Provide Tractors for Mechanised Farming
The commissioner 1 Ondo state house of Assembly Commission, Hon. Idowu Adebusuyi Pius has called on the Federal Government to intensify efforts towards transforming Nigeria’s agricultural sector, stressing the need to move beyond the subsidisation of agricultural inputs to a more comprehensive approach that addresses storage, mechanisation and effective collaboration with local governments.
The former Lawmaker said sustainable agricultural development requires deliberate investment in the entire agricultural value chain, noting that providing farmers with fertilisers, improved seedlings and other inputs alone would not sufficiently address the challenges confronting the sector.
He particularly urged the Federal Government to resuscitate and properly equip agricultural storage facilities, including silos, across the 36 states of the federation.
According to him, functional silos and other modern storage facilities are essential to reducing post-harvest losses, stabilising food supply and preventing farmers from being forced to sell their produce at unfavourable prices immediately after harvest.
He explained that many farmers lose a significant portion of their produce due to inadequate storage facilities, especially during periods of bumper harvest, thereby undermining efforts to increase food production.
Former Ondo state ALGON Chairman therefore called for the rehabilitation of existing silos and the establishment of additional strategically located storage facilities where necessary, stressing that such investments would enable farmers to preserve their produce and sell when market conditions are more favourable.
The Agricultural expert also advocated the provision of tractors and other modern agricultural machinery to farmers as part of a renewed drive towards mechanised farming.
He said Nigeria could not achieve food security and compete effectively in modern agriculture while relying predominantly on traditional and labour-intensive farming methods.
According to him, access to tractors, harvesters, irrigation equipment and other mechanised farming tools would significantly improve productivity, reduce the burden on farmers and encourage more young Nigerians to embrace agriculture as a viable business.
Adebusuyi further urged the Federal Government to strengthen its agricultural policies by working closely with local governments, describing grassroots administration as a critical component of any successful agricultural development strategy.
He noted that local governments are closer to farmers and understand the peculiar agricultural needs of their communities, including land availability, crop production patterns, irrigation needs, access roads and local market structures.
He therefore called for stronger coordination among the Federal Government, state governments and local government authorities to ensure that agricultural programmes are properly implemented at the grassroots.
Adebusuyi maintained that government interventions should be designed around the realities faced by farmers rather than being limited to policies formulated without sufficient grassroots engagement.
He commended ongoing efforts by the Federal Government to support farmers through agricultural input subsidies but stressed that such interventions should form only one part of a broader agricultural development framework.
He said investment in rural roads, irrigation, storage facilities, mechanisation, agricultural extension services, processing plants and access to affordable financing would complement input support and create a more productive and sustainable agricultural sector.
He also emphasised the importance of agricultural processing, noting that Nigeria must increasingly shift from merely producing raw agricultural commodities to processing them into finished and semi-finished products.
According to him, this would create employment opportunities, increase farmers’ incomes, reduce dependence on imported food products and strengthen the nation’s economy.
Adebusuyi called on policymakers to see agriculture not merely as a means of feeding the population but as a major economic sector capable of generating employment, wealth and foreign exchange.
He further encouraged farmers, agricultural cooperatives and private investors to take advantage of government programmes and available opportunities in the sector, while urging relevant agencies to ensure transparency and effective monitoring in the distribution of agricultural interventions.
He stressed that a coordinated approach involving all levels of government, farmers, private investors, financial institutions and development partners would be required to achieve lasting transformation in agriculture.
Adebusuyi expressed optimism that with sustained investment in mechanisation, storage infrastructure, irrigation and agricultural value chains, Nigeria could significantly reduce food insecurity, strengthen local production and position agriculture as one of the major drivers of national economic growth.
He therefore appealed to the Federal Government to deepen its commitment to the sector by implementing long-term policies that would empower farmers, protect agricultural investments and ensure that increased production translates into improved incomes and greater food security for Nigerians.
