By Peter Omopo
The Kebbi State Government has commenced the distribution of 6,500 tonnes of assorted grains and 5,000 tonnes of fertiliser to farmers and vulnerable residents as part of measures to boost food production and provide support during Ramadan.
The distribution was flagged off at the Haliru Abdu Stadium under the 2026 dry season farming programme of the Kauran Gwandu Agricultural Transformation Agenda.
Governor Nasir Idris said the initiative reflects his administration’s commitment to strengthening agriculture, enhancing food security and improving the livelihoods of residents.
In addition to grains and fertiliser, the state government distributed 2,000 solar-powered water pumps, 5,000 power tillers, 5,500 sprayers, 24,000 litres of herbicides and 70,000 litres of liquid organic fertiliser to support dry season farming and increase productivity.
The governor stated that beneficiaries were selected through a process involving traditional rulers and farmers’ associations to ensure fairness and transparency.
He directed that local government chairmen, commissioners and members of the State House of Assembly should not benefit from the exercise, stressing that the items were strictly meant for grassroots farmers and vulnerable citizens. He also warned that security agencies had been instructed to arrest anyone found diverting or selling the farm inputs.
Idris noted that Kebbi remains one of Nigeria’s leading rice-producing states and expressed optimism that production would exceed three million tonnes this year.
Speaking at the event, the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, commended the state government for aligning with the Federal Government’s food security drive under President Bola Tinubu. He described agriculture as vital to Nigeria’s economic resilience, noting that a significant proportion of Nigerians are engaged in farming and related value chains.
The Kebbi State Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Shehu Mu’azu, said the distribution marked the third major agricultural intervention by the current administration, highlighting the expansion of solar pump distribution and the provision of mechanised tools at no cost to farmers.
Representatives of beneficiary groups, including the Onion Farmers Association and the Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria, expressed appreciation to the state government and pledged to make effective use of the inputs to boost yields and strengthen food security.
Senior government officials, traditional rulers and agricultural stakeholders attended the event, with the governor and the minister jointly performing the official flag-off ceremony.
