Governor Uba Sani has begun distributing 500 truckloads of free fertiliser and tractors to 150,000 smallholder farmers across all 23 local government areas of Kaduna State. This marks the third consecutive year the governor has rolled out such a programme.
Last August, Sani distributed 400 truckloads of fertiliser to 100,000 farmers, with each receiving two bags. In 2024, he facilitated an even larger distribution, sending over 500 truckloads to farming communities ahead of the dry season.
Speaking at the launch ceremony at Murtala Mohammed Square on Saturday, the governor described the initiative as "one of the most extensive fertilizer support programmes undertaken by any subnational government in Nigeria." He said the goal was straightforward: prevent rising farming costs from triggering lower output and food shortages.
Sani revealed he'd been urged to sell the fertiliser at reduced prices instead. "Some advisers suggested we buy at N56,000 per bag and sell to farmers at N20,000," he said.
But he rejected the idea outright.
"N20,000 remains out of reach for most smallholder farmers," the governor explained. "Large-scale operators would simply buy everything and resell at inflated prices, defeating the whole purpose of a subsidy."
Agriculture now generates roughly 43 per cent of Kaduna State's gross domestic product and employs between 60 and 80 per cent of the working population. Sani noted that improved security has allowed farmers to return to their fields with confidence.
"Thanks to our people's cooperation and President Bola Tinubu's backing, we've recovered 5,000 hectares of farmland," he told reporters. The state's geography and climate make it ideal for farming and food production.
Kaduna leads the nation in maize, tomato and ginger production. But the governor stressed that agriculture extends far beyond economics.
"It's the intersection of food security, industrial growth, job creation, rural development and social cohesion," Sani said. "No nation prospers if it can't feed itself, supply its industries or give farmers the chance to thrive rather than merely survive."
When Sani took office in 2023, agriculture received just ₦1.48 billion—barely 0.4 per cent of the state budget. He found that figure unacceptable given the sector's weight.
The governor hiked the allocation to ₦23.40 billion in 2024. For 2025, he increased it again to ₦74.02 billion.
The 2026 budget commits more than ₦100 billion to agriculture and food security, representing about 11.65 per cent of total state spending. That exceeds the 10 per cent target set by the Malabo Declaration, he said.
