The Federal Capital Territory Administration on Wednesday began the distribution of 900 metric tonnes of fertiliser free to farmers in the territory.

The FCT Minister of State, Dr Mariya Mahmoud, said at the inauguration of the exercise in Abuja on Wednesday, that the input was donated by the Central Bank of Nigeria.

Ms Mahmoud said that the fertiliser, received through the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, serves as a strategic response to the global challenge of food shortages.

She assured that the Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat, FCTA, fully adhered to the distribution guidelines outlined by the CBN which includes the setting up of a broad-based ad-hoc committee to strategise and come up with distribution plans.

This, according to her, will ensure the fertilisers reach the intended beneficiaries – the dedicated and hardworking farmers in the FCT.

She said, “The FCT Administration is very much aware of the challenges faced by the populace regarding the high cost of food items and has been proactively implementing measures to address the situation. As you may recall, within the past two months, we have undertaken several initiatives to enhance food production. In collaboration with the World Bank and Islamic Development Bank, we achieved a significant milestone by providing farmers with a comprehensive range of agricultural inputs.”

The minister noted that while it was imperative to recognise that agricultural inputs were vital for enhancing production, knowledge of good agronomic practices was equally essential.

This, she said, was why the FCTA consistently invested in knowledge acquisition over the years.

The minister reaffirmed the unwavering commitment of the FCT Administration to the welfare and prosperity of the good people of Abuja.

She added that the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, was dedicated and focused on transforming the FCT into a most preferred destination for investors.

Also, Mandate Secretary, Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat, Lawan Geidam, said that the intervention reaffirmed the commitment of President Bola Tinubu to revitalise the agricultural sector.

Mr Geidam said that the distribution committee was made up of farmers, civil organisations, faith-based organisations, area council authorities, traditional institutions, and government agencies, in line with the CBN guidelines.

He said, “We are optimistic that the fertilisers will yield a remarkable outcome, culminating in a bumper harvest this year, thereby enhancing food availability, improved nutrition, economic growth, and overall well-being of FCT residents.’’

The Permanent Secretary of the Secretariat, Grace Adayilo, said that the secretariat had put measures in place to ensure that the fertiliser did not end up in the market.

Mr Adayilo said, “Any fertiliser that ended up in the market, “Holy Ghost Fire,” meaning the Holy Spirit would punish the person who took the fertiliser to the market to sell.

On his part, Chairman, All Farmers Association of Nigeria, FCT Chapter, Ifraimu Dauda, commended the FCTA and the CBN for the gesture.

According to him, fertiliser is at the heart of agricultural production, yet its access remains the greatest challenge to farmers.

He advised the government to be wary of social media farmers and deal directly with the real farmers in communities.

He also urged the government to support irrigation farming to strengthen dry season farming in the FCT.

(NAN)