President Adama Barrow on Saturday presented 60 tractors to Gambian farmers as part of a joint funding initiative between the government, farmers and Yonna Agribusiness, a subsidiary of the Yonna Group.

The handover ceremony, held at State House in Banjul under rainy skies, marked the launch of a wider programme aimed at modernising agriculture and promoting food self-sufficiency.

According to officials, the 60 tractors are part of a larger package of 180 tractors and implements being procured by the Ministry of Agriculture for farming communities across the country.

Under the financing model, the government covers 25 percent of the total cost while farmers, either individually or through cooperatives, contribute another 25 percent.

The remaining 50 percent is provided by Yonna Microfinance through a four-year repayment plan, with the government acting as guarantor.

The initiative is expected to boost mechanisation in the agricultural sector, improve productivity and reduce the country’s reliance on food imports.