The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has flagged off the distribution of fertilisers at 50 per cent subsidised rates to farmers across the six area councils of the territory.
In August, the FCT Administration distributed approximately 900 metric tonnes of assorted fertilisers, donated by the Central Bank of Nigeria, through the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, to farmers in the nation’s capital.
Minister of State for the FCT, Dr Mariya Mahmoud, acknowledged the challenges faced by the populace regarding the high cost of food items, expressing the administration’s commitment to implementing measures to address the situation.
Speaking during the flag off of the distribution of 550 metric tonnes of assorted fertilisers, including conventional NPK, granular urea, NPK gel, and urea gel fertilisers in Abuja on Thursday, the minister, represented by his Chief of Staff, Chidi Amadi, said the aim was to boost food production, stabilise prices, and strengthen food security in the territory.
“This initiative underscores our firm commitment to food security, agricultural revitalisation, and the welfare of our people. As the FAO has emphasised, food insecurity threatens dignity, stability, and peace.
“In view of this, and in alignment with Mr President’s Renewed Hope Agenda, the FCTA has institutionalised this annual support scheme to ease production costs and enhance yields.
“The timing of this exercise is deliberate – coinciding with the farming season – to ensure that farmers can access inputs when they are most needed,” he said.
The minister warned that measures had been put in place to ensure that the resources reached genuine farmers and to prevent diversion or misuse.
He acknowledged that the fertilisers were not enough, stating that together with its partners, the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, the Japan International Cooperation Agency, the Leventis Foundation, and the World Bank, the administration was prioritising capacity building and the promotion of good agronomic practices.
“Together, these interventions are reclaiming degraded lands, supporting livelihoods, and revitalising key agricultural sectors.
“Let me reaffirm that this administration remains committed to building a prosperous, inclusive and secure city,” Wike stated.
Meanwhile, the Mandate Secretary, Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat, Ango Abdullahi, thanked the minister for his consistent support, noting that the farmers will also receive 3,500 knapsack sprayers in addition to the fertilisers, and that there was an urgent need to strengthen the sector, as the population in Abuja continued to grow.
Abdullahi said the fertilisers will be distributed to the farmers at a 50% subsidised rate “in strict adherence” to the Minister’s directives, adding that the Secretariat was aligned with the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda, to reposition the agricultural sector of the FCT.
