The Federal Government has said it will provide farmers with 10,000 tractors to boost agricultural output in the country.

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Alhaji Muhammad Nanono, said the tractors, fertilisers, chemicals and other inputs would be distributed to farmers under a soft-loan scheme.

The scheme, according to him, is designed to boost agricultural mechanisation in the country.

The minister according to a statement from the ministry said these during a courtesy visit to the  Emir of  Dutse, Alhaji Nuhu Sanusi, in his palace.

Nanono said the government would distribute the 10,000 tractors and inputs to farmers in the 774 Local Government Areas in Nigeria.

The minister explained that each of the councils would be allocated tractors  worth N150m each and inputs as soft loan to be repaid in an 11 year plan.

He said the beneficiaries must be genuine farmers and indigenes of the participating Local Government Areas.

Nanono noted that the gesture was to assist farmers to boost their production capacity so that the government could mop up  excess produce for strategic reserves.

The minister said the Federal Government would begin the implementation of the programme in the second quarter of this year.

The Emir of  Dutse, Alhaji Nuhu Sanusi, represented  by  Alhaji Basiru Sanusi said that the council had set up a committee to mobilise participation in the agricultural transformation programme of government.