The Kaduna State Government has commenced the distribution of free fertiliser to 150,000 smallholder farmers across the state.
The Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr Murtala Dabo, disclosed this during an inspection of fertiliser redemption centres in Igabi Local Government Area.
Dabo said the state had established 69 redemption centres, with three centres in each of the 23 local government areas.
He said fertiliser had been deployed to all warehouses, while security and Information Technology personnel had also been assigned to the centres.
“Today, redemption has started in about eight local governments, but all the fertiliser has been deployed,” Dabo said.
He said all 69 centres would commence full operations on Tuesday, following the commencement of the exercise in selected local governments.
According to him, the exercise is IT-based, designed to ensure transparency and guarantee that only verified beneficiaries receive the fertiliser.
He said beneficiaries would receive text messages directing them to designated redemption centres, where their details would be validated.
“Each beneficiary will receive two bags of fertiliser for the 2026 wet season,” Dabo said.
The commissioner said the process had improved significantly compared with previous years, adding that the exercise was expected to become seamless across the state.
He advised beneficiaries to apply the fertiliser on their farms rather than sell it, saying it was provided to improve productivity and livelihoods.
Dabo warned that any farmer found selling the fertiliser would be arrested and prosecuted.
He said improved agricultural productivity would contribute to food security in Kaduna State and Nigeria, particularly in maize, soybean and ginger production.
On his part, the Commissioner for Information, Ahmad Maiyaki, said agriculture had received increased budgetary attention under Gov. Uba Sani.
Maiyaki said the agriculture budget increased from N1.4 billion, representing less than one per cent, to over N100 billion in 2026.
He said the current allocation represented 11.6 per cent of the state’s budget, describing it as a significant departure from previous funding levels.
According to him, the increased investment reflects the administration’s commitment to agriculture and the recovery of farming communities affected by insecurity.
Maiyaki said more than 500,000 hectares of farmland had been recovered, enabling farmers who were displaced to return to their farms.
He said the state distributed 400 trucks of fertiliser to farmers in 2024 and 500 trucks each in 2025 and 2026.
According to him, the 2026 distribution targets 150,000 smallholder farmers across the state through the 69 redemption centres.
Maiyaki said the government had also provided tractors, solar powered boreholes and pumping machines to support farmers during both rainy and dry seasons.
He said farmers constituted more than 60 per cent of Kaduna’s population, while agriculture contributed over 42 per cent to the state’s Gross Domestic Product.
The commissioner said the government would continue monitoring the redemption centres to ensure that only genuine farmers benefited from the intervention.
The Chairman of Igabi Local Government Area ,Sani Abdul appreciated the governor for supporting residents, noting that about 80 per cent of the population depended on farming.
He said unlike previous arrangements where fertiliser was sold at subsidised prices, the current intervention provided the input free of charge.
On his part, Kamal Priyadarshi of CropIT, a StarAgri Group company, said the firm was supporting the Kaduna Government in distributing fertiliser through redemption centres across the state.
He said beneficiaries would present original SMS coupon codes for electronic validation, photographs and document verification before receiving fertiliser, describing the process as transparent and efficient.
One of the beneficiaries, Mr Isiyaku Balarabe, from Fakawot Ward, expressed appreciation to the state government for providing two bags of fertiliser for free.
Balarabe said he received a text message while on his farm and immediately proceeded to the redemption centre for verification and collection.
He said he would take the fertiliser directly to his maize farm, expressing optimism that it would improve his yield.
Another beneficiary, Mr Adamu Haruna, an indigene of Igabi and resident of Rigachikun, described receiving the fertiliser as his first government intervention.
Haruna said the support would enable him to increase agricultural production, adding that he could not afford to purchase fertiliser because of its high market price.
Mr Deji Ola, another beneficiary from Rigachikun, also expressed appreciation, saying the intervention would significantly reduce his farming expenses.
Ola said the fertiliser would enable him to improve his small farm and increase his expected harvest.
He said he received the notification without knowing anyone or seeking assistance, describing the process as transparent.
The beneficiaries prayed for continued peace in Kaduna State and commended the government for supporting smallholder farmers through the fertiliser intervention.
