The federal government on Monday launched the South-East phase of the Renewed Hope Farm Input Support Programme (FISP), commencing the distribution of 80,640 bags of fertiliser to 20,160 registered smallholder farmers across Imo, Enugu, Anambra and Ebonyi states as part of efforts to boost food production and strengthen national food security.
The intervention, implemented by the National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF), was officially flagged off in Owerri, Imo State.
The programme is designed to bridge critical farm input gaps, reduce production costs and enhance agricultural productivity ahead of the 2026 wet farming season.
Speaking at the launch, the executive-secretary of NADF, Mohammed Ibrahim, represented by the fund’s general manager, technical services, Ernest Ihedigbo, said each of the 20,160 registered smallholder farmers across the four participating states would receive fertiliser grants under the initiative.
He explained that the programme was conceived to improve farmers’ productivity while creating stronger linkages across Nigeria’s agricultural value chain through support for indigenous fertiliser manufacturers.
“The Farm Input Support Programme is a home-grown agricultural intervention that addresses the needs of smallholder farmers while supporting local fertiliser production, creating jobs and strengthening food security,” he said.
Ibrahim noted that the initiative is anchored on three strategic objectives: stabilising food prices through targeted input support, increasing agricultural productivity by closing critical input gaps, and strengthening agricultural value chain linkages to accelerate agro-economic growth.
He reaffirmed NADF’s commitment to working closely with state governments and development partners to unlock the agricultural potential of the South-East and encourage sustainable investment in the sector.
Representing the minister of agriculture and food security, Abubakar Kyari, the minister’s senior special adviser, Ibrahim Tanimu, described the programme as a strategic investment in Nigeria’s quest for food self-sufficiency.
According to him, the intervention underscores the Federal Government’s commitment to lowering production costs and increasing crop yields through direct support to farmers.
He added that the Memorandum of Understanding signed by the Imo State Government, the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) and NADF would ensure transparency, accountability and effective distribution of the farm inputs.
Representing governor Hope Uzodimma, the deputy governor of Imo State, Lady Chinyere Ihuoma Ekomaru, described the initiative as a significant milestone for agricultural development in the South-East.
She urged beneficiaries to make productive use of the fertilisers by applying them to farming activities rather than diverting them for other purposes, noting that the programme would enhance harvests, create employment opportunities and improve rural livelihoods.
“We are planting more than fertilisers today; we are planting food security, jobs and a better future for the South-East,” she said.
Also speaking, the National President of AFAN, Mohammed Magaji, commended the federal government and NADF for rolling out the programme at the onset of the planting season, saying timely access to quality farm inputs would reduce production costs, increase crop yields and improve the profitability of smallholder farming.
