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By Chinyere Anyanwu
To build resilient and sustainable agricultural ecosystems that would ensure food sovereignty and security, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security has distributed free agricultural inputs and equipment to smallholder farmers in Niger State.
The move is also aimed at achieving all-year-round farming, enhancing food production and economic growth, according to the ministry.
The Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Aliyu Abdullahi, disclosed this during the flag-off ceremony of the distribution of inputs and equipment to cooperative smallholder farmers, including women, youths and people with special needs, held in Minna, the state capital, at the weekend.
Abdullahi revealed that the distribution of free farm inputs to smallholder farmers is one of the many robust policies of President Bola Tinubu’s administration aimed at supporting year-round farming in Nigeria.
He stated that the initiative aligns with numerous economic reforms aimed at boosting productive capacity in the country, creating jobs, and lowering the cost of living while also ensuring inclusivity.
He added that the ministry is implementing many agricultural programmes and projects designed to support year-round farming, pointing out that, ‘’we have declared food security as a national state of emergency and we are committed to transforming the agriculture sector to make food available, accessible and affordable to all Nigerians.”
Abdullahi mentioned that the inputs being distributed include herbicides, cocoa fertiliser, fungicide, knapsack sprayer, growth enhancers, and tomato seeds.
Others were power tillers and water pumps, which would be given to farmers through commodity associations, cooperative groups, farmers with special needs, and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).
He stated that the initiative would take place across the 36 states and FCT to ensure Nigerian farmers benefit from the Renewed Hope agenda in the agricultural sector, which is geared towards achieving food sovereignty and economic growth.
He appreciated the giant strides made by Governor Bago in agriculture, which he said has made Niger State a model and pilot state for the implementation of Federal Government agricultural initiatives.
In his remarks, the farmer Governor of Niger State, Muhammad Bago, appreciated President Bola Tinubu for his ongoing support in advancing agriculture, stating that the all-year-round farming initiative of the Federal Government would significantly motivate farmers and enable them to be self-sufficient, thus supporting its food security and sovereignty goals.
Bago lauded the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security for choosing Niger State as a pilot state for the all-year-round farming initiative and other agricultural policies of the Federal Government.
He listed Niger State agricultural achievements to include the exporting of $2.2 million worth of sesame seeds in 2025 through the Nigerian Women Police Cooperative in Farming and plans to set up sesame processing centres.
The governor further revealed that the state would revive the Cooperative Bank of Niger State with N2 billion, adding that it will be a microfinance bank for agriculture to ease the burden of interest rates on farmers.
