Kaduna State Government has concluded plans to distribute 400 trucks of free fertiliser to 100,000 smallholder farmers across the state.
The fertiliser distribution is aimed at boosting food security, supporting rural livelihoods, and reducing the cost of agricultural production.
Murtala Dabo, the state commissioner for Agriculture, disclosed this while briefing at the end of a multi-stakeholder committee tasked with the responsibility of distribution on Monday.
The Commissioner said, Kaduna is the only state in Nigeria today distributing fertiliser free of charge to smallholder farmers.
“Our target is to directly reach 100,000 vulnerable farmers, ensuring that even the poorest are not left behind.”
He added that the programme will begin with 300 trucks of fertiliser, with plans to scale up to reach as many as 400,000 farmers across all 23 local government areas.
To ensure equity and transparency, the Commissioner said the state has set up a broad-based committee comprising religious leaders, civil society organisations, labour unions, local government officials, and security agencies.
“This committee is also being replicated at the grassroots to monitor distribution and verify beneficiaries, ensuring the right people get the support,” he noted.
Dabo revealed that in addition to free fertiliser distribution, the state government is clearing 20,000 hectares of farmland to create new corridors of cultivation, especially in communities that previously faced insecurity or limited access to arable land.
“Our farmers often struggle to get land for cultivation. Now, we’re aggressively opening up new farmlands and introducing basic irrigation infrastructure, including systems to harvest and store rainwater. This is a major push for productivity,” he stated.
(Tribune)
