By Sarah NEGEDU
The Federal Capital Territory Administration has flagged off the distribution of 550 metric tonnes of assorted fertilisers to farmers across the six Area Councils at 50 percent subsidised rates.
Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Chidi Amadi, launched the programme in Abuja with a stern warning to beneficiaries not to resell the inputs.
“Do not sell them, their true value lies in the harvest they will yield and the livelihoods they will sustain. Together, let us commit to food self-sufficiency, improved livelihoods, and a vibrant agricultural future for the FCT and for the nation,” Wike said.
The Minister explained that the intervention was deliberately timed to align with the farming season in order to ease production costs and boost yields.
He added that mechanisms had been put in place to ensure the inputs reached genuine farmers while preventing diversion or misuse.
He further disclosed that the FCTA, in partnership with international organisations such as the Food and Agriculture Organisation, FAO, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, IITA, Leventis Foundation, and development banks, was also prioritising capacity building and the promotion of good agronomic practices.
Speaking on the scale of the exercise, the Mandate Secretary of the Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat, Abdullahi Ango, said the Secretariat procured 550 metric tonnes of fertilisers, including NPK, urea and fertiliser gels, as well as 3,500 knapsack sprayers, all to be distributed at subsidised rates.
He stressed that strict monitoring would ensure the inputs were used only for cultivation by certified farmers.
Traditional rulers and other stakeholders witnessed the flag-off, with the Minister urging them to encourage farming in their communities and support security in rural areas.
Wike also appealed to youths to embrace agriculture as a pathway to prosperity rather than depend solely on white-collar jobs.
“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. Our enhanced security efforts are already restoring confidence in our communities and providing a safe environment for agriculture and investment,” he said.
