The Katsina State government has inaugurated the 2026 fertiliser distribution programme, offering subsidised inputs to farmers across 6,652 polling units ahead of the rainy season.

Governor Dikko Radda, who inaugurated the exercise on Monday in Malumfashi, said the initiative underscored his administration’s commitment to food security and improved livelihoods.

He announced that fertiliser would be sold at ₦25,000 per bag, stressing that distribution had been decentralised to ensure direct access for genuine farmers and eliminate middlemen.

According to him, Funtua Zone will receive 60 bags per polling unit, Katsina Zone 50 bags per polling unit, and Daura Zone 45 bags per polling unit, while 10 large-scale farmers across each of the 361 wards will also benefit.

Mr Radda said the government had adopted a holistic agricultural strategy, including the provision of tractors, hand tillers, irrigation facilities and inputs to boost productivity.

He disclosed that over 3,000 tube wells were being drilled free, while thousands of solar and gasoline-powered pumps had been distributed to support year-round farming.

The governor added that 361 youths were currently undergoing training in modern agriculture and agribusiness to drive future sector growth.

The commissioner for agriculture, Lawal Aliyu Shargalle, described the intervention as part of a broader agricultural revival, assuring strict monitoring to ensure transparency.

Also speaking, community development programme coordinator Kamaludden Kabir and Malumfashi council chairman, Muntari Abdullahi, commended the governor’s investment in agriculture and rural development.

“His Excellency has, over the years, done tremendous work in improving the livelihoods and strengthening the rural economy of the state,” Mr Kabir said.

He recalled that when he came on board, the governor directed distribution of over 4,000 hand-powered tillers and more than 4,000 solar-powered irrigation pumps.

“With the introduction of these hand-powered tillers, the situation has improved considerably, making farming easier and more accessible for the common man,” Mr Kabir said.

He acknowledged challenges from banditry, which led to loss of cattle traditionally used for farming, adding that the governor’s interventions have significantly improved the situation.

(NAN)