Oyo begins phase II of 50% tractor subsidy for farmers

By Adejayan Gbenga

The Oyo State Government has announced the commencement of the second phase of the 50% land ploughing subsidy, known as the Tractorisation Policy, as part of its efforts to support smallholder farmers in the state for the 2025 farming season.

Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Barr. Olasunkanmi Olaleye, disclosed this on Thursday at a press conference held at the ministry.

He said that due to the massive support of Governor Seyi Makinde for farmers, the National Bureau of Statistics had declared Oyo State as one of the states that recorded the lowest food inflation rates in the country.

Olaleye added that the state can also boast of becoming one of the food baskets of the country, with more than 9,569 tonnes of cassava moved out of the Ibarapa zone alone into neighbouring states between December 2024 and March 2025.

While commending Governor Makinde for approving the continuation of the 50% tractorisation policy, which began in 2024, Olaleye stated that the state government was able to reach about 1,487 farmers directly through the programme in 2024, with approximately 6,090.91 acres of farmland mechanically ploughed across the state.

The commissioner noted that the state witnessed significant increases in productivity per hectare due to proper land preparation, as many small- and medium-scale farmers transitioned from manual to mechanical farming methods.

According to him, the policy entails the state government covering 50% of the cost of ploughing, while farmers pay the remaining half for the land they wish to cultivate.

Also speaking, the Chairman of the Agricultural Credit Corporation of Oyo State (ACCOS), Sheik Taofeek Azeez Akeugbagold, commended Governor Makinde and added that, apart from the 50% tractorisation policy, farmers can also access agricultural credit and loans from the corporation.