Amidst efforts to boost food production in the country the National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF) has flagged off the distribution of 80,640 bags of fertiliser to 20,160 smallholder farmers across the South-South geopolitical zone.

The program implemented under the Farm Input Support Programme (FISP) is part of efforts by the government to boost agricultural productivity, reduce production costs and improve food security.

The zonal launch, held in Calabar, Cross River State, covered beneficiaries from Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Delta and Edo States and it is aimed at providing 20,160 bags of fertiliser to 5,040 registered farmers, with every beneficiary receiving 4 bags each.

Thw Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of NADF, Mohammed Ibrahim, represented by the Head of Investment Department, Olalekan Alabi, described the intervention as a practical demonstration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda for agriculture.

He said FISP is a targeted intervention designed to ensure fertiliser reaches verified farmers cultivating priority food crops at the right time, rather than serving as a general distribution exercise.

“FISP is not a blanket intervention. It is a targeted support designed to get fertiliser to the right farmers, for the right crops and at the right time. Agriculture should be measured by higher yields, improved market access and the impact it makes on people’s lives,” he said.

Ibrahim disclosed that the programme will benefit 128,930 smallholder farmers nationwide through the distribution of 515,720 bags of fertiliser.

He noted that all fertiliser supplied under the programme was manufactured in Nigeria, fully subsidised, traceable and clearly marked “Not for Sale” to prevent diversion. According to him, every bag has been linked to a verified beneficiary through validation, duplication screening and proper documentation, while monitoring and evaluation partners will assess productivity after the farming season.

The NADF boss also announced that the Fund will deploy over 1,800 Extension Advisory Workers nationwide next month, with 30 officers assigned to each state. He added that NADF is finalising a Harmonised Fertilizer Recommendations Manual for Crops in Nigeria to provide farmers with scientifically backed fertiliser application guidelines.

Representing Governor Bassey Otu, the Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Elvert Ayambem, commended the Federal Government and NADF for prioritising smallholder farmers, describing them as the backbone of Nigeria’s agricultural economy.

He said the intervention aligns with the state’s People First Agenda and pledged transparency in the distribution process to ensure every bag reaches genuine beneficiaries. He also highlighted the state’s investments in mechanisation, quality inputs, extension services and strategic value chains, urging beneficiaries to use the fertiliser judiciously to increase yields and incomes.

Delivering the keynote address on behalf of the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, the ministry’s State Coordinator, Sampson Maddy George, said the intervention demonstrates the Federal Government’s determination to close Nigeria’s agricultural productivity gap.

“One programme delivers three gains: support for the farmer, increased demand for local fertiliser producers and improved food security for the nation,” he said.

George noted that the initiative builds on the FISP-AgGrow-1 Programme launched in 2025 and reflects the Federal Government’s commitment to achieving food sovereignty following President Tinubu’s declaration of a State of Emergency on Food Security in July 2023.

Earlier, the Cross River State Commissioner for Agriculture and Irrigation Development, Johnson Andiambey Ebokpo, said the programme complements the state’s agricultural initiatives, including the distribution of subsidised mini tractors, improved seedlings, quality seeds and farmer capacity-building programmes.

He added that strengthened collaboration among the Federal Government, state governments, development partners and farmer groups would improve productivity, increase rural incomes and enhance national food security.