Niger State Government has commenced the distribution of agricultural inputs and production assets to 15,922 farmers under the 2026 wet-season program of the NG-CARES 2.0 Result Area Two.
The intervention is aimed at protecting livelihoods, boosting food production, supporting vulnerable households, and stimulating economic activities across communities in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Under the scheme, 15,800 farmers will receive agricultural production inputs, while 122 beneficiaries will receive individual agricultural production assets.
The inputs include 2,350 metric tonnes of fertilizer, 21.61 metric tonnes of improved rice seeds, 102.95 metric tonnes of improved maize seeds, as well as 15,600 litres each of herbicides and insecticides.
Flagging off the distribution in Minna, Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago described the intervention as a major boost to farmers in the state, saying it would contribute significantly to increased yields during the current wet season.
The governor, represented by his deputy, Comrade Yakubu Garba, said his administration viewed agriculture not only as a means of feeding the population but also as a pathway to wealth creation, employment generation and sustainable economic development.
He said the state government had supported the 2026 farming season with agricultural inputs and machinery across all 25 local government areas, while also participating in the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Farm Input Support Program, through which 20,160 farmers in the state benefited.
Bago added that the state government had provided 132,000 bags of fertilizer to farmers at subsidized rates and distributed 10 tractors to each of the 25 local government areas to boost agricultural production.
The National Project Coordinator, National FADAMA Coordination Office, Dr Adegoke Austin, described the flag-off as a practical demonstration of the collective commitment to strengthening the resilience, productivity and livelihoods of farmers and other vulnerable members of the community.
He reaffirmed that the FADAMA NG-CARES program remained focused on translating government interventions into tangible benefits at the grassroots.
Similarly, the State Project Coordinator, FADAMA NG-CARES Delivery Unit, Shehu Kudu Mohammed, said NG-CARES 2.0 Result Area Two was designed to enhance food security and improve the livelihoods of vulnerable households through the provision of productive assets and labour-intensive agricultural infrastructure.
He commended Governor Bago’s support for the program, noting that beneficiaries were drawn from key agricultural value chains, including rice, maize, sorghum, livestock and fisheries.
Kudu Mohammed added that the agricultural inputs distributed to beneficiaries would be continuously monitored to ensure effective utilisation and achievement of the program’s objectives.
The Commissioner for Agriculture, Isah Sidi Rijau, also acknowledged the governor’s support, saying the intervention would improve food production, increase household incomes and strengthen food security across Niger State.
In separate goodwill messages, the Emir of Minna, represented by the Karman Minna, Muhammad Kpotu Abdullahi, and the State Chairman of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria, Mohammed Abubakar Manko, represented by the association’s Vice Chairman, Muhammad Saba Usman, commended the FADAMA program and the Niger State Government for their interventions in the agricultural sector.
The stakeholders urged continued support for farmers to sustain agricultural productivity and strengthen food security in the state.
