Management of Agricultural Mechanisation Services in State Government Tractor Hire Schemes in Nigeria

This study examines the management of agricultural mechanisation services in state government-operated tractor hire schemes in Nigeria, assessing operational efficiency, cost recovery, and service delivery outcomes. Government tractor hire schemes are major providers of mechanisation services for smallholder farmers who cannot afford private tractor ownership, but their performance is widely reported to be constrained by poor management, high maintenance costs, and political interference in service allocation. This study uses a comparative case study design, examining tractor hire scheme operations in Benue, Kano, Ogun, and Anambra States through interviews with scheme managers, operator surveys, and analysis of operational records for the period 2020 to 2023. Management effectiveness is assessed using fleet availability rates, cost recovery ratios, service reach indicators, and farmer satisfaction scores. Findings reveal significant management weaknesses across all sampled schemes, with fleet availability averaging only 42 percent due to maintenance failures. Cost recovery rates average 58 percent, requiring ongoing government subsidy. Politically motivated tractor allocation outside the formal booking system is reported in three of four schemes. Farmer satisfaction is lowest in the poorest-maintained fleets. The study concludes that government tractor hire scheme management requires fundamental reform to achieve operational sustainability. It recommends commercialisation of scheme management, performance-based operator contracts, and transparent booking systems as priority reforms for improving mechanisation service delivery.

Keywords: tractor hire schemes, mechanisation management, government services, Nigeria, agricultural machinery.