By Fuseh Markus
The Federal Government has commenced the distribution of 11,720 bags of fertilizer to 2,930 smallholder farmers in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
FCT Minister of State, Dr Mariya Mahmoud said at the distribution exercise in Abuja on Tuesday, that the gesture was under the Renewed Hope Farm Input Support Programme (FISP), Phase I.
Mahmoud said that each of the beneficiaries would receive four bags of fertilizer free.
She explained that the FISP was being implemented by the National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF) designed to boost local food production and address food security challenges across the country.
She said that intervention was part of Federal Government efforts to empower local farmers and improve livelihoods.
She commended President Bola Tinubu’s investment in agriculture as essential for the nation’s economic stability.
“Agriculture remains a critical pillar of national development, and investing in our farmers is investing in the prosperity and stability of our nation.
“The provision of quality farm inputs will not only increase crop yields but also strengthen the resilience of farming communities across the FCT,” she said.
She urged the beneficiaries to embrace modern farming practices and make judicious use of the fertilizers to maximize their productivity.
This, she said, will contribute to the country’s goal of reducing food imports.
The minister assured stakeholders that the FCT Administration would continue to partner with relevant institutions to provide the necessary infrastructure, extension services, and market access required to create an enabling environment for agricultural growth.
Also, the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Aliyu Abdullahi, said that the Tinubu administration has adopted a coordinated approach to transforming the agricultural sector.
“Mr President is seeing farmers not just as producers but as national entrepreneurs who hold the key to unlocking Nigeria’s economic potential.
“If there are no farmers, there will be no nation. This intervention goes beyond mere support; it is both symbolic and strategic to catalyse our agricultural sector,” he said.
Abdullahi warned the beneficiaries against selling the inputs.
Earlier Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer, NADF, Mr Mohammed Ibrahim, assured the public that the agency had put transparency measures in place to ensure the farm inputs reach the right people.
Mohammed explained that the targeted support was designed to help cushion the high costs of production currently faced by smallholder farmers.
On his part, National President of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria, Mr Muhammed Magaji, called for sustained government investment in the agricultural sector.
Also, Mr Abdulaziz Ibrahim, a traditional leader who spoke on behalf of the beneficiaries thanked the federal government for the support, describing it as a “timely intervention”. (NAN)
Edited by Philip Yatai
