Agric
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The Federal government has introduced Agricultural support program that cuts across the country for the benefit of farmers to promote farming and Agricultural development.
This comes as no fewer than 20,160 smallholder farmers in the South West states benefited the distribution of 80,640 bags of fertilizer to support agrarian efforts in Farm products.
The Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of National Agricultural Development
Fund (NADF) Mohammed Ibrahim, said the gesture was part of the Renewed Hope initiatives of the administration of President Bola Tinubu to boost agriculture production and strengthening national food security.
The NADF CEO spoke in Ado-Ekiti, during the Ekiti flagg off ceremony where large number of farmers in the state were in attendance to benefit the largesse.
The NADF Executive Secretary described the intervention as a major step towards reducing production costs, increasing crop yields and supporting farmers at the peak of the planting season.
He said the programme aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s determination to bridge productivity gaps among smallholder farmers while improving food availability across the country.
According to him, the first phase of the programme will provide fertilizer grants to 20,160 farmers in Ekiti, Ogun, Ondo and Lagos states, with each state receiving fertilizer support for 5,040 registered farmers.
Ibrahim disclosed that a total of 80,640 bags of fertilizer would be distributed under the initiative, stressing that the products are subsidized, branded and traceable, with “Not for Sale” inscriptions to prevent diversion.
He explained that the beneficiaries were carefully selected through a data-driven process involving state governments and the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), noting that every fertilizer bag had been mapped to verified farmers through geo-location verification and duplication screening.
His words, “The NADF’s commitment to supporting our farming communities across Nigeria has been demonstrated in several facets by deploying targeted interventions where they are needed most.
“The Nigerian agricultural sector is currently facing unique day-to-day challenges, including those that directly threaten local food supplies and household incomes. A structural productivity gap persists, with average fertilizer application rates far below the FAO recommendation of 50 kg per hectare.
“This low input utilization directly constrains yields across staple crops. In a unique and strategic territory like the Southwest, which bridges our diverse nation, the potential to drive urban and peri-urban agricultural productivity is immense and requires structured support to unlock.
“The Farm Input Support Programme (Phase I), is an input support programme, dedicated to a sustainable, integrated value-chain model.
“The Farm Input Support Programme is an economic and social impact intervention programme whereby the National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF) provides fertilizers as a Grant to connect primary agriculture production with vital farm input required to upscale productivity and market access.
“This is a policy deliverable aimed at creating the conditions for attainment of food security in Nigeria in line with the vision of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR.
“The NADF is today supporting 20,160 smallholder farmers within the Southwest States with 80,640 bags of fertilizers for distribution to 5,040 beneficiaries each in Ekiti State, Ogun State, Ondo State and Lagos State.
“We are providing subsidized, branded, and traceable fertilizer, with bold “NOT FOR SALE” markings, as part of our efforts to support smallholder farmers cultivating less than 0.5Hectares of crops in the beneficiary States who are registered with the State Governments and State Branches of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN).
“The Farm Input Support Programme is anchored on three core imperatives: Firstly, food price stabilization through targeted supply side input intervention; Secondly, enhance agricultural productivity to close the yield gap by smallholder farmers and market demand; and Thirdly, an intervention that helps create conditions for attainment of national economic growth, development and transformation”
Also speaking, the National President of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Mohammed Magaji Gettado commended the Federal Government, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security and NADF for the intervention.
Gettado described the programme as a timely response to the needs of farmers preparing for the 2026 wet-season farming activities.
He assured that the association would continue to work closely with government agencies and stakeholders to ensure proper distribution of the fertilizers and promote greater agricultural productivity.
In his remarks, the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, said the programme was part of the Federal Government’s broader strategy to attain food security and food sovereignty.
He noted that President Bola Tinubu had consistently emphasized the need for Nigeria to produce what it consumes and reduce dependence on imported food.
According to the minister, rising costs of farm inputs had become a major challenge for farmers, making targeted interventions such as FISP necessary to improve productivity and lower production costs.
He expressed satisfaction that the fertilizer was reaching farmers at the appropriate planting period, describing it as a departure from previous interventions that often arrived late in the farming cycle.
“This programme is designed to ensure that genuine farmers get the support they need at the right time. We have done the necessary verification and we are confident that these fertilizers will be utilized for farming purposes.
“Food security cannot be achieved without reducing the cost of production. Beyond fertilizer support, the Federal Government is implementing several initiatives, including tractorization programmes and soil health schemes, to support farmers and improve agricultural productivity,” the Minister said.
The Ekiti state Governor Biodun Oyebanji commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on visionary leadership and unwavering commitment to revitalizing Nigeria’s agriculture.
The governor, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Professor Habibat Adubiaro at the flagg off said the intervention would significantly complement his administration’s efforts to promote food sufficiency and agricultural development in the state.
Oyebanji praised President Tinubu for prioritizing agriculture as a critical driver of economic growth, poverty reduction and national development.
“These combined efforts have contributed significantly to food availability and affordability in the state. We remain committed to working with the Federal Government and other stakeholders to achieve food sovereignty, rural prosperity and economic transformation,” the governor stated.
Earlier, Ekiti State Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Ebenezer Boluwade in his welcome address described the fertilizer distribution as timely and unprecedented, noting that fertilizers were arriving during the active planting season for the first time in recent years.
He said:” the intervention would complement the state’s agricultural support programmes, which include land clearing, mechanization support and youth-focused farming initiatives. “