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To boost food production in the South East, the federal government is supporting indigenous fertiliser manufacturers with the launch of a major farm input intervention targeting over 20,000 farmers in the region.
The initiative, spearheaded by the National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF), saw the flag-off of the distribution of 80,640 bags of fertiliser to 20,160 smallholder farmers across Anambra, Enugu, Ebonyi and Imo states ahead of the 2026 wet farming season.
Speaking at the flag-off ceremony in Owerri recently, the Executive Secretary of NADF, Mohammed Ibrahim, said the programme was designed to boost food production, improve farmers’ productivity and strengthen national food security.
Represented by the Fund’s General Manager, Technical Services, Ernest Ihedigbo, Ibrahim said the intervention would bridge critical farm input gaps while building the resilience of smallholder farmers. According to him, the programme also seeks to deepen support for local fertiliser manufacturers by creating stronger linkages across Nigeria’s agricultural value chain and stimulating rural economic development.
“The Farm Input Support Programme is a home-grown agricultural intervention that addresses the needs of smallholder farmers while supporting local fertiliser production, creating jobs and strengthening food security,” he said.
Ibrahim explained that the initiative is anchored on three strategic objectives: stabilising food prices through targeted input support, increasing agricultural productivity by closing critical input gaps, and strengthening agricultural value chains to drive economic growth.
He reiterated NADF’s commitment to working closely with state governments, development partners and other stakeholders to unlock the vast agricultural potential of the South-East and attract sustainable investment into the sector.
Representing the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, the Minister’s Special Adviser, Ibrahim Tanimu, described the fertiliser distribution programme as a strategic investment in Nigeria’s quest for food self-sufficiency.
He said the intervention underscores the Federal Government’s determination to lower the cost of food production while improving crop yields through direct support to farmers.
Tanimu added that the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by the Imo State Government, the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) and NADF would ensure transparency, accountability and effective distribution of the farm inputs.
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Representing Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma, the Deputy Governor, Lady Chinyere Ihuoma Ekomaru, described the programme as a major milestone in efforts to transform agriculture in the South-East.
She urged beneficiaries to use the fertilisers strictly for farming purposes, warning against diversion of the inputs.
According to her, the programme will not only improve harvests but also create jobs, strengthen rural livelihoods and contribute to regional food security.
“We are planting more than fertilisers today; we are planting food security, jobs and a better future for the South-East,” she said.
Also speaking, the National President of AFAN, Mohammed Magaji, commended the Federal Government and NADF for rolling out the intervention at the beginning of the planting season, describing the timing as critical to achieving higher agricultural output.
He noted that timely access to quality fertiliser would reduce production costs, increase crop yields and improve the profitability of smallholder farming across the region.
Magaji also applauded the adoption of a transparent, data-driven process for selecting beneficiaries, saying it would ensure that the intervention reaches genuine farmers.
He further praised the Imo State Government for investing in agricultural infrastructure, agribusiness development, youth empowerment and rural road networks, noting that such investments are essential to strengthening agricultural value chains and driving sustainable rural development.
The fertiliser distribution programme forms part of the Federal Government’s broader strategy to enhance food production, reduce inflationary pressures on food prices and improve the livelihoods of farming communities across the country.
