The Gombe State government has begun distributing 2,000 metric tonnes of fertiliser to farmers to boost productivity and enhance food security.

Governor Inuwa Yahaya said this on Tuesday at the inauguration of the fertiliser distribution exercise for the 2026 cropping season.

He said the commodity would be sold to the farmers at a 50 per cent subsidy to reduce cost and boost productivity.

Mr Yahaya said the state government procured 240,000 bags of NPK and Urea fertilisers at N64,000 per 50-kilogramme bag and planned to sell them at a 50 per cent subsidy.

He said the government would also embark on free distribution of 833 water pumps, 450 motorised weeders, 544 motorised sprayers, and 550 rice transplanters.

Others included 350 groundnut shellers, 50 rice and maize planters/harvesters, 50 rice milling machines, 45 tractors, and 20 oil filtering/pressing machines.

The governor said the gesture aims to cushion the impact of rising agricultural input costs and encourage productivity.

According to Mr Yahaya, the intervention is a direct response to the economic pressures facing farmers, including the high cost of fertilisers, agrochemicals, and seeds, and the declining prices of produce.

“Our farmers are confronted with mounting challenges that threaten their survival.

“This subsidy is our direct response to the harsh economic realities facing our farming communities. It is our way of saying that we will not abandon those who feed the nation,” he said.

Mr Yahaya said his administration had invested billions of naira in fertiliser subsidies and provision of inputs to strengthen agriculture, thus supporting about 80 per cent of the state’s population.

He said the government has set up a special committee to ensure transparency and guard against diversion of the commodities.

The governor urged farmers to embrace modern agricultural practices, including dry-season farming and the use of weather advisories, to improve productivity and resilience to climate-related challenges.

Ahmed Guli, permanent secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Cooperatives, commended the gesture, assuring that the exercise would be conducted effectively to achieve the desired results.

While urging stakeholders to cooperate with the ministry to facilitate the successful implementation of the exercise, Mr Guli enjoined farmers to utilise the inputs to boost their production outputs. 

(NAN)