The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, on Thursday initiated the distribution and sale of fertilizers at a 50% subsidized rate to farmers across the FCT’s six Area Councils.
The event, held at the Arts and Culture Exhibition Pavilion in Garki, Abuja, aims to enhance food production, stabilize prices, and strengthen food security amid rising global agricultural input costs.
Wike announced that the FCT Administration procured 550 metric tonnes of assorted fertilizers, including NPK, granular urea, NPK gel, and urea gel, for verified farmers.
“This initiative is central to our commitment to food security and agricultural revitalization, timed to support farmers at the peak of the farming season,” Wike stated, emphasizing measures to ensure transparency and prevent diversion to the open market.
He urged beneficiaries to use the fertilizers for farming rather than selling them, saying, “To whom much is given, much is expected. Use these inputs to cultivate your lands and feed the FCT.”
Wike also encouraged FCT youth to embrace agriculture, highlighting the region’s vast arable land as an alternative to scarce white-collar jobs.
The minister noted partnerships with organizations like the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the Leventis Foundation, and the World Bank’s ACReSAL Project.
These collaborations have supported farmer training, capacity building, and land reclamation.
Additional initiatives, such as the Islamic Development Bank’s SAP-Z program and the FCT CARES project, are bolstering sustainable agriculture.
Comrade Abdullahi Suleiman Ango, Mandate Secretary for Agriculture and Rural Development, revealed that 3,500 knapsack sprayers were also procured for distribution. He stressed that only certified farmers would benefit, with strict monitoring to prevent misuse.
“Investing in agriculture is our path to self-sufficiency, job creation, and food security,” Ango said, aligning the initiative with President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Farmers and stakeholders at the event expressed hope that the intervention would lower production costs and lead to more affordable food prices in the FCT.
Wike reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to building a prosperous and secure city, noting improved security as a foundation for thriving agriculture.
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