The federal government has commenced the distribution of 11,720 bags of fertiliser to 2,930 smallholder farmers in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The FCT Minister of State, Mariya Mahmoud, said at the distribution exercise in Abuja on Tuesday that the gesture was under the Renewed Hope Farm Input Support Programme (FISP), Phase I.

The minister said each beneficiary would receive four bags of fertiliser free of charge.

She explained that the FISP was being implemented by the National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF), designed to boost local food production and address food security challenges across the country.

She said that the intervention was part of the federal government’s efforts to empower local farmers and improve livelihoods.

She commended President Bola Tinubu’s investment in agriculture as essential for the nation’s economic stability.

“Agriculture remains a critical pillar of national development, and investing in our farmers is investing in the prosperity and stability of our nation.

“The provision of quality farm inputs will not only increase crop yields but also strengthen the resilience of farming communities across the FCT,” she said.

She urged the beneficiaries to embrace modern farming practices and make judicious use of the fertilisers to maximise their productivity.

This, she said, will contribute to the country’s goal of reducing food imports.

The minister assured stakeholders that the FCT Administration would continue to partner with relevant institutions to provide the necessary infrastructure, extension services, and market access required to create an enabling environment for agricultural growth.

Also, the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Aliyu Abdullahi, said the Tinubu administration had adopted a coordinated approach to transforming the agricultural sector.  

“Mr President is seeing farmers not just as producers but as national entrepreneurs who hold the key to unlocking Nigeria’s economic potential.

“If there are no farmers, there will be no nation. This intervention goes beyond mere support; it is both symbolic and strategic to catalyse our agricultural sector,” he said.

Mr Abdullahi warned the beneficiaries against selling the inputs.

Earlier, Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of NADF, Mohammed Ibrahim, assured the public that the agency had implemented transparency measures to ensure farm inputs reached the right people.

Mr Mohammed explained that the targeted support was designed to help cushion the high production costs currently faced by smallholder farmers.

On his part, the National President of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria, Muhammed Magaji, called for sustained government investment in the agricultural sector.

Also, Mr Abdulaziz Ibrahim, a traditional leader who spoke on behalf of the beneficiaries, thanked the federal government for the support, describing it as a “timely intervention”. 

(NAN)