Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to strengthening agricultural production and improving the livelihoods of smallholder farmers, particularly women, through the distribution of free farm inputs.
The initiative is part of the state government’s broader agricultural development programme aimed at supporting 150,000 smallholder farmers and boosting food production across Kaduna State.
The distribution of free fertiliser to women farmers is expected to reduce production costs, improve access to essential farm inputs and encourage more women to participate actively in commercial agriculture.
Speaking on the initiative, Governor Sani said empowering smallholder farmers remained critical to addressing food insecurity, creating jobs and strengthening the state’s rural economy.
He noted that women play a significant role in Kaduna’s agricultural value chain, from production to processing and marketing, and therefore deserve greater support to expand their economic contribution.
The governor said the government would continue to provide farmers with the necessary inputs and support to increase productivity while improving household incomes.
According to him, the target of reaching 150,000 smallholder farmers reflects the administration’s determination to ensure that agricultural interventions are taken directly to farming communities rather than being concentrated in urban centres.
The initiative is also expected to benefit the wider agricultural value chain by increasing the availability of food crops and supporting businesses involved in processing, transportation and marketing.
Farmers receiving the fertiliser expressed appreciation for the intervention, saying the cost of agricultural inputs had become a major challenge to smallholder production.
The beneficiaries said access to free fertiliser would enable them to cultivate larger areas and improve yields during the farming season.
Agricultural stakeholders in the state have continued to advocate sustained government investment in farm inputs, irrigation, extension services, mechanisation and access to affordable financing to enable farmers to expand production.
The Kaduna Government said it would strengthen partnerships with relevant stakeholders to ensure that agricultural programmes reach genuine farmers and produce measurable results.
The administration believes that supporting smallholder farmers, especially women, will not only improve food availability but also contribute to poverty reduction and economic development across rural communities.
With the 150,000-farmer target, the state government is positioning agriculture as a key pillar of its development agenda while seeking to build a more productive and resilient agricultural sector in Kaduna.
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