Oyo Trains 140 Youths on Tractor Operation to Boost Mechanised Farming

Oyo Trains 140 Youths on Tractor Operation to Boost Mechanised Farming

 

 

 

The Oyo State Government has commenced the training of 140 youths in tractor operation as part of efforts to advance mechanised farming across the state.

 

The training, which began on Monday at the Ido Local Government Secretariat in the Ibadan/Ibarapa zone, is a four-day programme aimed at equipping young people with practical skills to replace the ageing workforce of tractor operators.

 

State Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr. Olasunkanmi Olaleye, said the initiative is a key component of the government’s broader strategy for youth empowerment and agricultural mechanisation.

 

“This programme will strengthen our tractorisation initiative, boost agricultural productivity, and create pathways for meaningful employment. It is also a deliberate effort to reduce youth unemployment in rural and urban areas,” Olaleye said.

 

The commissioner explained that participants would gain hands-on expertise in safe, efficient, and productive tractor operation, and would be provided with safety kits including overalls, gloves, boots, and helmets. Outstanding trainees will have opportunities to apprentice with members of the Tractor Owners Association and established tractor hiring companies.

 

Olaleye added that the training would be conducted concurrently in Oke-Ogun and Oyo-Ogbomoso zones to reach more youths.

 

Participants, including Hammed Oladapo, Idowu Babatunde, and Muyiwa Ibikule, expressed gratitude to the state government. Oladapo said the programme would improve his employment prospects, while Babatunde and Ibikule noted it would help them realise long-standing ambitions in mechanised farming.

 

In a related development, the government last month earmarked 3,000 hectares at the Ijaiye Farm Settlement for a Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone and a Rungis-style food wholesale market, aimed at enhancing agricultural productivity and providing better returns for farmers, according to Dr. Debo Akande, Director-General of the Oyo State Agribusiness Development Agency.