The Federal Government has commenced the distribution of 100,800 bags of fertilizer to 25,200 smallholder farmers across five states in the North-West geopolitical zone.
The intervention is being implemented through the National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF) under the North-West Zonal Farm Input Support Programme (FISP) Phase I.
Speaking during the flag-off ceremony in Katsina State, the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, said the programme is aimed at boosting food production and supporting smallholder farmers.
According to him, the beneficiary states include Katsina, Kano, Kaduna, Kebbi and Jigawa.
Kyari disclosed that each state received 20,160 bags of fertilizer for distribution to 5,040 registered farmers in collaboration with the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN).
He said the initiative is designed to address low agricultural productivity among smallholder farmers while supporting local fertilizer manufacturers.
“The programme will help increase farm yields, strengthen the agricultural value chain and create employment opportunities,” he said.
The minister recalled that the Federal Government had earlier launched the AgGrow-1 initiative to connect agro-processors with registered farmers in order to improve market access and enhance value chain efficiency.
He reiterated the commitment of President Bola Tinubu’s administration to achieving food security through targeted interventions in the agricultural sector.
Kyari noted that ongoing government programmes are contributing to increased food production and efforts to address rising food prices across the country.
“Food security is not won in a single day. It is won season by season, farmer by farmer, input by input. Today, the North-West has taken its turn,” the minister said.
