By Gabriel Ewepu

ABUJA – IN a quest to drive President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda on food security, the National Agricultural Development Fund, NADF, Thursday, flagged off the distribution of 80,640 bags of free fertiliser to 20,160 smallholder farmers in the South-West geopolitical zone.

NADF flagged off the distribution of the fertilizer in Ado-Ekiti, the capital of Ekiti State under the Renewed Hope Farm Input Support Programme, FISP, which is geared upscaling farmers’ productivity, reducing production costs and increasing food production during the 2026 wet season.

The Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer, NADF, Mohammed Abu Ibrahim, in his speech described the programme as a strategic intervention designed to deliver targeted support to genuine farmers and strengthen national food security, saying, “This is not fertiliser distribution for the sake of distribution. It is targeted support designed to get fertiliser to the right farmers, for the right crops, at the right time.”

According to Ibrahim, what the NADF is doing perfectly aligns with President Tinubu’s commitment to food security, agricultural transformation and inclusive economic growth as the programme is designed in a way to drive comparative agricultural strengths of participating states, where beneficiaries are positioned to receive support for priority crops critical to food production and market stability.

Meanwhile, the NADF boss made it known that all fertilisers distributed under the programme were produced in Nigeria with full traceability, and clearly branded ‘Not For Sale’, while every bag is linked to verified beneficiaries to ensure transparency, accountability and prevent diversion.

Representing Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Habibat Adubiaro, described the programme as a timely intervention that would enhance agricultural productivity and support efforts to transform agriculture into a viable driver of economic growth, job creation and food security.

Oyebanji also lauded President Tinubu along with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, and NADF for the transparent implementation, whereby practically and directly supports farmers including strengthening the synergy between the Federal and State Governments.

Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Aliyu Abdullahi in his remark explained that FISP forms part of broader Federal Government efforts to ensure production costs incurred by farmers are drastically reduced, increase agricultural output and achieve sustainable food security.

Also speaking, President, All Farmers Association of Nigeria, AFAN, Muhammad Magaji, described the intervention as timely and impactful, noting that it would significantly reduce farmers’ production costs, improve yields and enhance the productivity of smallholder farmers.

The South-West rollout of FISP is yet another step in the Federal Government’s efforts to expand food production, stabilise food prices and deliver on President Tinubu’s vision of a food-secure, prosperous and economically resilient Nigeria.