Towards boosting food production in the country, the National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF), under the federal government’s Farm Input Support Programme (FISP), has commenced the distribution of 100,800 bags of fertiliser to 25,200 smallholder farmers across Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi and Jigawa states.

Speaking during the flag-off of the distribution in Kastina State over the weekend, the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, said the programme demonstrates the federal government’s commitment to supporting smallholder farmers while boosting local fertiliser production.

He noted that the intervention aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s state of emergency on food security and is expected to contribute to increased agricultural output, job creation and improved food security nationwide.

Also, the Executive Secretary of NADF, Mohammed Ibrahim, said the initiative was designed to reduce production costs, improve access to quality farm inputs and boost food production.

According to him, each state will receive 20,160 bags for distribution to 5,040 farmers identified by the state chapter of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), while beneficiary farmers will receive four bags of fully subsidised fertiliser.

Ibrahim explained that the fertilisers are locally produced, traceable and marked “Not for Sale” to prevent diversion, adding that NADF has also concluded plans to deploy over 1,800 extension advisory workers nationwide to support farmers with technical guidance and best practices.

He highlighted the agency’s ongoing interventions in the region, including support for over 5,000 ginger farmers in Kaduna State affected by blight and assistance to flood-affected onion farmers in Kebbi and Sokoto states.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of the North-West Governors’ Forum, Dikko Radda, has warned against the diversion or sale of subsidised fertiliser for smallholder farmers across the region, stating that anyone found to be manipulating the farming intervention would face sanctions.

Radda, who is also the Governor of Katsina State, further directed the Ministries of Agriculture and Livestock Development, AFAN and other relevant stakeholders to ensure transparency, accountability and fairness in the distribution process.