To enhance food security and increase agricultural productivity, the Kaduna State Government has concluded plans to distribute free fertilizers to more than 100,000 smallholder farmers across the state.
The initiative, aimed at supporting vulnerable farmers and strengthening rural livelihoods, is being described as the largest of its kind in the country.
According to the Commissioner for Agriculture, Murtala Dabo, Kaduna remains the only state in Nigeria currently offering fertilizers at no cost to smallholder farmers.
“Our target is to directly reach 100,000 vulnerable farmers, ensuring that even the poorest are not left behind,” Dabo said while unveiling the plan at a press briefing following a multi-stakeholder committee meeting.
The programme, which begins with 300 trucks of fertilizer, is set to scale up to 400 trucks, ultimately targeting as many as 400,000 farmers across all 23 local government areas.
To ensure transparency and fairness, a committee made up of religious leaders, civil society organisations, labour unions, local government officials, and security agencies will monitor the distribution process, with similar oversight groups being established at the grassroots level.
In addition to the fertilizer distribution, Dabo disclosed that the state is clearing 20,000 hectares of farmland, especially in communities previously affected by insecurity or lacking arable land.
The government will also install basic irrigation infrastructure and rainwater harvesting systems to enable year-round farming.
While smallholder farmers will receive the inputs for free, commercial farmers are not left out. They will enjoy a 60 percent subsidy, paying only ₦30,000 per bag of fertilizer.
“This strategy is to reduce production costs for our commercial farmers and encourage large-scale cultivation without compromising our support for vulnerable farmers,” Dabo explained.
Reaffirming the state’s dedication to agriculture, the Commissioner revealed that the sector received over ₦100 billion in the 2025 budget, 14 percent of total spending, exceeding the 10 percent target set by the Maputo Declaration.
Dabo also pointed to the improved peace and security that has allowed the government to revive abandoned farmlands in previously volatile areas like Birnin Gwari, Giwa, and parts of Chikun.
He noted that with the recent commissioning of the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone (SAPZ) by the Vice President, Kaduna is poised to add value to its agricultural produce without relying on external markets.
To protect farmers from losses due to crop failure, drought, or pests, all 100,000 fertilizer beneficiaries will be covered by agricultural insurance.
“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,” the Commissioner stated.
Dabo concluded by reiterating Governor Uba Sani’s vision of inclusive and people-centred governance, stressing that the agricultural interventions are proof of Kaduna’s journey toward becoming Nigeria’s food basket.
