The federal government has inaugurated the distribution of agricultural inputs to small-scale farmers in Niger State as part of efforts to boost food production and ensure food security in the country.

Aliyu Abdullahi, Minister of State for Agriculture, during the distribution of inputs to farmers in Minna on Friday, said the initiative was in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritises food security.

“We have declared food security as a national state of emergency, and we are committed to transforming the agriculture sector to make food available, accessible, and affordable to all Nigerians,” he said.

Mr Abdullahi disclosed that the inputs being distributed include herbicides, cocoa fertiliser, fungicides, knapsack sprayers, growth enhancers, and tomato seeds.

Others included power tillers and water pumps, which would be distributed through commodity associations, cooperative groups, farmers with special needs, and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).

He said the ministry had rolled out programmes and projects to address the challenges facing farmers and make food available, accessible, and affordable.

Mr Abdullahi reiterated the ministry’s commitment to ensuring that all sectoral programmes and initiatives are aligned to actualising the presidential priority of food security.

The minister expressed optimism that the initiative would improve agricultural productivity, enhance food security, and contribute to poverty reduction.

In his remarks, Marcus Olaniyi, the ministry’s permanent secretary, disclosed that at least 35 per cent of the inputs were targeted at women farmers, in line with the National Gender Policy on Agriculture.

In his speech, Governor Umaru Bago of Niger commended the ministry for choosing Niger as a pilot state to launch its all-around agricultural initiative.

Mr Bago, however, announced that Niger would launch a pilot scheme for two million women in agriculture in 2026, where participants would be given chickens, goats, sheep, and crops to rear.

He listed Niger’s agricultural achievements, which include the export of $2.2 million worth of sesame seeds in 2025 through the Nigerian Women Police Cooperative in Farming, and disclosed plans to set up sesame processing centres.

The governor said the state would revive the Cooperative Bank of Niger State with N2 billion, adding that it would be a microfinance bank focused on agriculture to ease the burden of interest rates.

(NAN)