The Federal Government has distributed agricultural inputs and equipment to smallholder farmers in Bauchi State as part of renewed efforts to boost food production.
Speaking at the inauguration of the distribution on Friday in Bauchi, the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Abubakar Kyari, said the intervention aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
“It is also to ensure food security in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda,” he said.
Kyari, who was represented by Mr. Kizito Gukas, Director General, Services of the Ministry, reiterated that food security remains a national priority, noting that the Tinubu administration declared a state of emergency on food security in July 2023.
He explained that the federal government is implementing reforms and short-term interventions to make essential inputs affordable and accessible to farmers.
According to him, the inputs distributed include herbicides, organic fertilizers, insecticides, fungicides, knapsack sprayers, growth enhancers, tomato seeds, power tillers, and water pumps.
He said the items would be distributed through 25 commodity associations, cooperatives, farmers with special needs, and internally displaced persons.
The minister stressed that the intervention is aimed at supporting smallholder farmers constrained by the high cost of farm inputs, while also contributing to economic growth, job creation, and poverty reduction.
“Our resolve is to transform the agricultural sector, improve productivity, and achieve the Sustainable Development Goal of Zero Hunger,” Kyari added.
Dr. Iliyasu Gital, Bauchi State Commissioner for Agriculture, commended the federal government for the gesture, noting that the state also prioritizes agriculture as a driver of food security.
Earlier, Mrs. Khadijatu Ishaku, the state coordinator of the ministry, urged beneficiaries to make judicious use of the items, stressing that proper utilization was key to achieving national food security objectives.
Speaking on behalf of the farmers, Lawan Musa, Chairman of Dangulbi Farmers’ Cooperative Association, expressed appreciation to the federal government. He described the intervention as timely and appealed for sustained support to local farmers to further strengthen food security in the country.
