Federal Capital Territory Minister of State, Dr. Mariya Mahmoud, has kicked off the distribution of approximately 900 metric tonnes of 30 trucks of assorted fertilizers to farmers in the territory.

At the flag off ceremony held in Abuja, the minister revealed that the assorted fertilizers were donated by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) through the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMA&FS) to the FCT Administration for distribution to farmers in the nation’s capital.

The minister also said the event was a manifestation of the visionary leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s strategic response with a view to addressing the global challenge of food shortages.

While acknowledging the challenges faced by the populace regarding the high cost of food items, Mahmoud expressed the commitment of the Administration to proactively implement measures to address the situation.

“As you may recall, within the past two months, we have undertaken several initiatives to enhance food production. In collaboration with the World Bank and Islamic Development Bank, we achieved a significant milestone by providing farmers with a comprehensive range of agricultural inputs.

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“Building on this success, we also successfully distributed the palliatives approved by Mr. President, bringing much-needed relief and succor to the residents of the FCT,” she stressed.

She, however, assured that the Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat has fully adhered to the distribution guidelines outlined by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) which includes the setting up of a broad-based Ad-hoc committee to strategize and come up with distribution plans that would ensure the fertilizers reach the intended beneficiaries.

The minister thanked partners for their support in training of Agricultural Extension Agents and farmers, stressing that the administration is committed to sustaining this synergy and continuing the efforts to empower agricultural stakeholders with the knowledge and skills necessary for success.

She used the occasion to call on FCT residents, particularly the youth population, to take advantage of the vast arable land that the FCT is blessed with and venture into agriculture, no matter how small.

On his part, the Mandate Secretary Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat, Hon. Lawan Kolo Geidam, noted that the donation from the Central Bank of Nigeria was an apt and timely response to mitigate the adverse impact of the current global food crisis, exacerbated by climate change, low production, and high prices on Nigerians.

He further stressed that the intervention was also an unequivocal reaffirmation of the commitment of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to his Renewed Hope Agenda, part of which prioritizes agricultural revitalization by empowering farmers with essential inputs.

“We are optimistic that the substantial quantity of fertilizers generously provided will yield a remarkable outcome, culminating in a bumper harvest this year, thereby enhancing food availability, improved nutrition, economic growth, and overall well-being of FCT residents,” he added.

Earlier in her address, the Permanent Secretary Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat, Grace Adayilo, noted that the importance of agriculture in human livelihood cannot be overstated, as it serves as a vital source of food and economic prosperity for communities.

Adayilo assured that the fertilizers would be distributed to genuine farmers saying, “I want to assure you that the people you see here today, are farmers that have been certified by the committee as genuine farmers who have been in their different ways, adding value to the food production systems in the FCT.”

She further assured that the Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat would continue to implement measures to enhance the capacities of the extension agents across the 62 wards of the FCT.