By Atoyebi Nike
The Kaduna State Government will begin distributing free fertiliser to 100,000 smallholder farmers across its 23 local government areas, as part of a wide-reaching agricultural support initiative.
Commissioner for Agriculture, Murtala Dabo, made the announcement during a press briefing, noting that the distribution will begin Saturday and marks the first of its kind in Nigeria.
“This is currently the only state offering fertiliser free of charge to smallholder farmers,” he said. “Our goal is to boost food production, support vulnerable farmers, and ensure fair access to agricultural inputs.”
An initial batch of 300 trucks of fertiliser is ready for rollout, with the programme expected to expand to reach 400,000 farmers in phases. The fertiliser will be given at no cost to smallholder farmers, while commercial farmers can buy at a subsidised rate of N30,000 per bag 40 percent of the market price.
To ensure fairness and transparency, the government has set up a committee including religious leaders, civil society groups, local government officials, labour unions, and security agencies to oversee the distribution.
Dabo also revealed that Kaduna allocated over N100 billion 14 percent of its 2025 budget to agriculture, surpassing the 10 percent Maputo Declaration benchmark. The programme includes insurance coverage for beneficiaries, improved security in key farming areas, and upcoming irrigation systems and rainwater harvesting to expand farm activity.
Vice President Kashim Shettima recently commissioned the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone in Kaduna, further positioning the state as a regional agricultural hub.
