Stephen Olufemi Oni, Ilorin
The dearth of tractors and other farm implements in Nigeria, particularly in Kwara state, would soon be a thing of the past as a community development enthusiast, Kayode Oyin-Zubair, disclosed to New Telegraph over the weekend in Ilorin, the Kwara state capital, that efforts are at an advanced stage at manufacturing them in the State.
According to Oyin-Zubair, the venture, Vishvas KOZ Tractor Limited, would be in partnership with a foreign-based firm that has been in the business of tractor manufacturing since 2012 to develop the Nigerian factory that would largely use local contents, adding that a renowned communication expert and former Publicity Secretary of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu has been appointed as the Chairman of the Board of Directors.
Issa-Onilu, he added, has been at the forefront of providing succour to Nigerian farmers and rural dwellers, saying his choice to chair the fledgling company was strategic and well thought out.
Oyin-Zubair said the project would complement the efforts of Kwara state Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq to effectively accord agriculture its rightful place and boost food security across the country.
The factory, he added, would be sited in the Kwara South Senatorial District.
He said: “The yawning gap in farm mechanisation in Nigeria deserves a multi-prong approach, particularly one that will utilise local contents. Farmers in the remotest parts of the country are still finding it difficult to access farm tractors and other essential implements useful for both pre-planting and post-planting operations.
“Our foreign partner has a track record of more than a decade participation in the designing, engineering and manufacturing of modern farm machinery. The Nigerian brands are KOZ 465 – 65hp and KOZ 475 – 75hp with various implements, among others.
“We take this opportunity to introduce ourselves as manufacturers and suppliers of agriculture solutions and also provide customised products according to demand, including implements, spare parts material handling equipment.
“Among the various product lines that we offer to our diverse customer segments line extends from concept to delivery including combined harvester strategic – baler, and silage harvester. Others are tractors, implements of cultivation and seeding, sprayer, and Optima segments. We also undertake the design and supply of complete solutions for both stationary and mobile, for specific applications.”
