The Federal Government on Thursday distributed agricultural inputs to no fewer than 750 smallholder farmers in Kaduna State as part of efforts to enhance food production.
Abubakar Kyari, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, said the support was provided under the ministry’s “inputs distribution for all-year-round farming” initiative.
The move comes after the Federal Government declared a state of emergency on food security in July 2023, a measure aimed at boosting agricultural output, curbing food inflation and strengthening national food supply.
Kyari noted that the ministry had reassessed and adjusted its programmes to focus more on assisting smallholder farmers, in alignment with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Represented by Mr Kizito Gukas, Director of General Services in the ministry, he explained that the distribution was part of immediate steps introduced to ease the burden on farmers and drive increased production through transparent mechanisms.
“Our focus is to ensure that essential agro inputs and basic farm machinery are accessible and affordable to farmers most affected by high production costs,” Kyari said.
He further stated that sustained collaboration with state governments, development partners and private sector stakeholders was vital to ensuring food availability, accessibility and affordability nationwide.
Earlier, Mr Anto Ogh, the ministry’s Kaduna State Coordinator, said the inputs were allocated to cooperative societies and organised farmer groups to improve productivity.
He encouraged beneficiaries to make effective use of the items to support the country’s drive toward food sufficiency.
A beneficiary, Muhammad Numbu, Chairman of the Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN), Kaduna State chapter, expressed appreciation to the Federal Government for the assistance.
He disclosed that the items distributed included improved seedlings, herbicides, sprayers, organic fertiliser, water pumps and a grading machine.
Numbu, however, appealed for improved security and stable markets to enable farmers maximise production and contribute to national food security.
