The Gombe State Government has begun the distribution of 12,000 metric tonnes of fertiliser to farmers to boost productivity and enhance food security.
Gov. Inuwa Yahaya announced this on Tuesday during the inauguration of the fertiliser distribution exercise for the 2026 cropping season.
He said the commodity would be sold to farmers at a 50 per cent subsidy to reduce costs and boost productivity.
Yahaya disclosed that the state government procured 240,000 bags of NPK and Urea fertiliser at N64,000 per 50kg bag and would sell them at the subsidised rate.
He added that the government would also freely distribute 833 water pumps, 450 motorised weeders, 544 motorised sprayers, and 550 rice transplanters.
Other items include 350 groundnut shellers, 50 rice and maize planters/harvesters, 50 rice milling machines, 45 tractors, and 20 oil filtering/oil pressing machines.
The governor said the gesture aims to cushion the impact of rising agricultural input costs and encourage greater productivity.
According to him, the intervention is a direct response to the economic pressures facing farmers, including high costs of fertiliser, agrochemicals, seeds, and declining produce prices.
“Our farmers are confronted with mounting challenges that threaten their survival. This subsidy is our direct response to the harsh economic realities facing our farming communities. It is our way of saying that we will not abandon those who feed the nation,” he said.
Yahaya noted that his administration had invested billions of naira in fertiliser subsidies and input provision to strengthen agriculture, which supports about 80 per cent of the state’s population.
He said the government had set up a special committee to ensure transparency and prevent diversion of the commodities.
The governor urged farmers to adopt modern agricultural practices, including dry-season farming and the use of weather advisories, to improve productivity and build resilience against climate challenges.
Mr Ahmed Guli, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Cooperatives, commended the initiative and assured that the exercise would be conducted effectively to achieve the desired results.
He urged stakeholders to cooperate with the ministry for successful implementation and enjoined farmers to make good use of the inputs to boost their output.
