THE Federal Government has inaugurated the distribution of agricultural inputs to small-scale farmers in Niger as part of efforts to boost food production and security in the country.
DrAliyuAbdullahi, Minister of State for Agriculture, disclosed this during the inauguration of the inputs distribution to farmers in Minna on Friday.
He said that the initiative was in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda which prioritises food security.
‘We have declared food security as a national state of emep gency and we are committed to transforming the agriculture sector to make food available, accessible and affordable to all Nigerians,” he said.
Abdullahi disclosed that the inputs being distributed includes, herbicides, cocoa fertilizer, fungicide, knapsack sprayer, growth enhancers and tomato seeds.
Others were power tiller and water pumps, which would be given to farmers through commodity associations, cooperative groups, farmers with special needs and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).
He said the ministry had rolled out programmes and projects to address challenges facing farmers and make food available, accessible and affordable.
According to him, the ministry was committed to ensuring that all sectoral programmes and initiatives are aligned towards actualising the presidential priority of food security.
The minister expressed optimism that the initiative would improve agricultural productivity, enhance food security and contribute to poverty reduction.
In his remarks, Dr Marcus Olaniyi, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, said the Tinubu-led administration has promised to use all available mechanisms to make food available at an affordable price.
He disclosed that at least 35 per cent of the inputs were targeted at women farmers in line with the National Gender Policy on Agriculture.
Gov. Umaru Bago of Niger commended the federal ministry of agriculture for choosing Niger as a pilot state to launch its all-around agricultural initiative.
He said that the initiative would support small-scale fanners and promote self-sustenance and self-reliance.
Bago, however, announced that Niger would launch a pilot scheme for two million women in agriculture in 2026.
He said participants would be given chickens, goats, sheep and crops to rear to support their livelihoods.
He listed Niger agricultural achievements to include the exporting of 2.2 million dollars’ worth of sesame seeds in 2025 through the Nigerian Women Police Cooperative in Farming and disclosed plans to set up sesame processing centres.
The governor said the state would revive the Cooperative Bank of Niger state with N2 billion, adding that it would be a microfinance bank for agriculture to ease the burden of interest rates. NAN