Kaduna State Government says its N100 billion agriculture investment is targeting 150,000 farmers with inputs and mechanisation to raise yields, improve incomes and strengthen food security.
Murtala Dabo, Commissioner for Agriculture, disclosed this on Thursday at the 2026 Kaduna State Council on Agriculture under the Policy and Agricultural Systems Strengthening (PASS) project.
The council has the theme: “Transforming Agriculture for Food Security, Economic Growth and Shared Prosperity in Kaduna State.”
Mr Dabo said the state’s agriculture allocation rose from N1.48 billion in 2023 to N23.4 billion in 2024, N74.02 billion in 2025 and more than N100 billion in 2026.
He said 500 truckloads of fertiliser were distributed in 2026 to support 150,000 smallholder farmers, while another 69,000 benefited from the Talafin Noma programme.
The commissioner said Talafin Noma beneficiaries received improved seeds, fertiliser, agro-chemicals and mechanisation support.
He said more than 1,400 truckloads of fertiliser had been mobilised over three consecutive farming seasons, while 400 tractors had been procured within three years.
Mr Dabo said irrigation had expanded through solar-powered water pumps and irrigation equipment, while more than 100,000 farmers had received agricultural insurance against production risks.
He said a N5 billion bank facility had also been secured to expand affordable financing for smallholder farmers.
The commissioner said the government was strengthening rural access roads, livestock production and market linkages while moving beyond primary production to value addition and agro-industrialisation.
According to him, the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone would link farmers with aggregation, processing, logistics and markets.
Mr Dabo said the African Quality Assurance Centre would strengthen standards and certification, improving farmers’ access to competitive markets.
The official said the real measure of the investment was its impact on farmers.
“Ultimately, agricultural transformation must be measured by what happens to productivity, profitability and prosperity,” Dabo said.
He challenged stakeholders to assess whether yields and farmers’ incomes were rising, while production costs and post-harvest losses declined.
Mr Dabo said the next phase would prioritise productivity per hectare, extension services, irrigation, climate resilience, agricultural data, storage, aggregation and stronger market linkages.
He also called for increased private-sector investment in agriculture.
Esther Ibrahim, Programme Officer, Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), called for stronger collaboration among farmer organisations, research institutions, financial institutions, civil society and private enterprises.
Ms Ibrahim said such partnerships were critical to scaling proven agricultural solutions, improving access to finance and technology and strengthening links between farmers and markets.
She urged the council to translate its deliberations into clear priorities, coordinated investments, accountable implementation and measurable results for farmers and consumers.
Victor Adejoh, Country Director, Synergos, reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to strengthening agricultural planning, institutional capacity and inclusive development in Kaduna.
Mr Adejoh said sustainable agricultural transformation required sustained collaboration among government, development organisations, private-sector actors, farmers and civil society.
He said Synergos would continue supporting efforts to improve institutional coordination and planning for an agricultural sector capable of delivering food security, economic growth and shared prosperity.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that PASS is supported by AGRA with technical support from Synergos.
COURTESY: newsinvestigatorsng.com
