Bwari council chairman promises tractors to boost farmers’ productivity
Agriculture
By Veronica Dariya
The Chairman of Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Joshua Ishaku, has promised to provide tractors and other implements to enhance agricultural production in the council.
The chairman made the promise on Thursday in Abuja during the distribution of fertilisers for the 2026 planting season to farmers in the council.
Ishaku, who described the council as the “food basket of the FCT”, said his administration would not undermine the status but would prioritise food production sufficient for the council, the FCT and neighbouring states.
“We will take it step by step. If we can only provide chemicals for farmers, we will do that. If it is fertiliser, we will do so.
“Between now and the next one year, we will be able to provide tractors in Bwari to serve farmers so that even public servants will be able to go into production, thereby enhancing food sufficiency.
“We will ensure that we work assiduously to improve the agriculture sector,” he said.
Ishaku said the council had procured 1,800 bags of NPK 15-15-15 that would be distributed free to farmers across the 10 wards of the council.
Each ward, Ishaku added, would receive 70 bags and was expected to be distributed to farmers in the villages by their leaders, using the best modalities.
He said: “We may not have the capacity to provide a bag each to every farmer, but at least, even if you get just one mudu, use it on your farm or give it to someone else who needs it.
“These fertilisers are not for sale. The brand is multipurpose and good for general use on crops. Do not sell. It may be little, but it shows we have our people at heart and this is our own way of supporting their efforts.”
The chairman also encouraged the farmers to improve production by practising both wet and dry season farming in order to boost food sufficiency and possibly lower food prices in the area.
Earlier, the Director, Agriculture Department of the council, Mrs Mercy Adeyanju, urged the beneficiaries to use the input with caution and not allow it to get into the hands of people with criminal intent.
Fertilisers, Adeyanju noted, could be used for locally made bombs, and so she urged the farmers to resist any form of illegality and use the input for better crop production.
Also speaking, the Etsu Bwari, Mr Ibrahim Yaro, appreciated the gesture on behalf of the people of the area, noting that Bwari was the first council in the FCT to begin the 2026 distribution of free fertilisers.
Yaro described the gesture as timely and a much-needed input for the planting season.
He lauded the new administration’s gesture to the farmers and urged the beneficiaries to maximise the opportunity to boost production and remain optimistic for better yield.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event had in attendance representatives of farmer groups, council staff, political appointees, and traditional leaders, among several others.
(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Dorcas Jonah/