President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the Ministry of Agriculture to distribute 2.1 million bags of fertilizer to small-scale farmers across the country at no cost to enhance national food security.
The official launch of the distribution was held in Borgu, Niger State, and presided over by the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, who represented the President during the ceremony.
The fertilizers were released to the Federal Ministry of Agriculture by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to support the government’s efforts in addressing the nation’s food security challenges.
The initiative is part of the President’s “Renewed Hope Food Security Strategy” to support farmers and boost agricultural productivity as disclosed by the National television authority.
A significant portion of the 2.1 million bags has been allocated to state governors, who will oversee their onward distribution at state and local government levels. The primary beneficiaries are small-scale farmers, who are crucial to the nation’s food production but often lack access to sufficient farming inputs.
Speaking at the event, Abdullahi emphasized the importance of equitable distribution, urging leaders to ensure the fertilizers reach the intended recipients. “Let’s be magnanimous as the President has been to ensure that these fertilizers get to the people it is meant for. That way, we can ramp up our production, and the food security challenges we are experiencing can begin to wear down,” the Minister stated.
He also reiterated the government’s commitment to supporting farmers through various initiatives, with the goal of achieving food security. The free fertilizer distribution is expected to significantly boost national food production and help mitigate the current food supply challenges.
In addition to the current distribution, President Tinubu has instructed the Ministry of Agriculture to begin preparations for the 2024/2025 dry season farming. This includes the commencement of data capture for farmers who will participate in the upcoming farming season, ensuring a more structured and efficient support system.
The Federal Government had ealier announced plans to cultivate 500,000 hectares of irrigable land for dry-season farming in a bid to boost food security nationwide. To achieve this, state governments and local communities are encouraged to collaborate by allocating land to the 12 river basin authorities across the country, contributing to the broader goal of increasing food production.
Additionally, the Federal Government set a target of producing 472,000 metric tonnes of wheat by the end of the current dry-season farming program. The target is based on an average yield of four metric tonnes per hectare.
The wheat production initiative spans 15 states, including Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Kebbi, Katsina, Niger, Plateau, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, and Zamfara.