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From Noah Ebije, Kaduna
The Kaduna State Government has concluded plans to distribute 400 trucks of free fertilizers to 100,000 smallholder farmers across the state, as part of a sweeping intervention aimed at boosting food security, supporting rural livelihoods and reducing the cost of agricultural production.
Commissioner for Agriculture, Murtala Dabo, disclosed this while briefing journalists at the end of a multi-stakeholder committee meeting convened ahead of the rollout yesterday. The Commissioner said Kaduna is the only state in Nigeria today distributing fertiliser free of charge to smallholder farmers He added that, “Our target is to directly reach 100,000 vulnerable farmers, ensuring that even the poorest are not left behind.”
He said the programme would 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 had 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 was 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.
While smallholder farmers will benefit from free fertiliser, Dabo said commercial farmers would also be supported through a 60 percent subsidy, meaning they will pay just N30,000 for a bag of fertiliser.
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“This strategy is to reduce production costs for our commercial farmers and encourage large-scale cultivation without compromising our support for vulnerable farmers,” he explained.
Highlighting Kaduna’s strong commitment to agriculture, the Commissioner noted that the sector received over N100 billion in the 2025 budget, representing 14 percent of the total, well above the 10 percent Maputo Declaration benchmark.
He also spoke of the progress made in reviving abandoned farmlands across volatile areas like Birnin Gwari, Giwa and parts of Chikun, thanks to improved peace and security.
“A few months ago, the Vice President commissioned our Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone (SAPZ), which will ensure that everything our farmers produce is processed and given market value right here in Kaduna,” he said.
Dabo further disclosed that all the beneficiaries of the fertiliser scheme would also be covered by an agricultural insurance policy to cushion the effects of crop failure, drought or pest outbreaks.
“This is a lesson we’ve learned from the ginger blight crisis. We cannot allow our smallholder farmers to suffer total loss again. Insurance is now a key part of our strategy,” he added.
The Commissioner reaffirmed Governor Uba Sani’s commitment to inclusive, people-centred governance and said the agricultural interventions were proof that Kaduna was on course to becoming the nation’s food basket.
