The Kano State Governor, Abba Yusuf, on Thursday flagged off the distribution of 90,000 bags of subsidised fertiliser to farmers across the state’s 44 local government areas as part of efforts to boost agricultural productivity and strengthen food security.
Speaking during the ceremony held at the Race Course Ground in Kano, Yusuf said the fertiliser, conveyed in 150 trucks, would be distributed across the state’s 484 wards, with each ward having 70 beneficiaries.
The governor said each local government would receive an average of three truckloads of fertiliser, adding that the intervention was aimed at ensuring farmers had access to quality farm inputs at affordable prices.
According to him, each bag of fertiliser, currently selling for about N50,000 in the open market, has been subsidised by 50 per cent, allowing beneficiaries to purchase it for N25,000.
Yusuf said the fertiliser procurement was jointly funded by the Kano State Government and the 44 local government councils.
He noted that since assuming office three years ago, his administration had consistently invested in agriculture through the provision of subsidised farm inputs, improved cultivation techniques, pest control and other interventions designed to enhance crop yields and reduce food prices.
The governor said the initiatives had created employment opportunities in rural communities while improving food security across the state.
To ensure transparency in the distribution process, Yusuf announced the establishment of state and local government distribution committees comprising representatives from security agencies, anti-corruption bodies, relevant ministries, civil society organisations, farmers’ associations, and elected officials.
He charged members of the committees to discharge their responsibilities with integrity, fairness, and accountability, ensuring the fertiliser reached genuine farmers.
The governor also commended security agencies for their continued support in maintaining peace and tackling insecurity in the state, pledging his administration’s commitment to working closely with them to combat kidnapping, banditry and other criminal activities.
He urged all stakeholders to support government efforts towards ensuring lasting peace and sustainable agricultural development in Kano.
