The Bank of Agriculture (BOA) has commenced the nationwide distribution of fertiliser, improved maize seeds and crop protection products to about 500,000 smallholder farmers under the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Smallholder Support and Value Chain Fund.
The intervention, which covers more than 20 states, is expected to support the cultivation of approximately 520,000 hectares of farmland and increase food production by an estimated 2.6 million tonnes.
Speaking at the official flag-off ceremony in Dutse, Jigawa State, BOA Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Ayo Sotinrin, said the programme is aimed at strengthening national food security and improving the livelihoods of rural farmers. He was represented by the bank’s Divisional Head of Finance and Strategy, Osho Adekunle.
Sotinrin disclosed that nearly 200,000 farmers have already benefited from the initiative, while 1.8 million bags of fertiliser and 329,000 bags of high-yield maize seeds are being distributed through 20 Farmer Aggregation Companies across participating states.
He noted that more than one-third of the beneficiaries are women, describing the programme as a clear demonstration of the Federal Government’s commitment to inclusive agricultural development under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
According to him, the Bank of Agriculture remains committed to ensuring that government-backed agricultural interventions reach farmers directly across the country.
He urged beneficiaries to maximise the opportunity by adopting recommended farming practices, keeping proper farm records and promptly reporting any challenges encountered during the planting season.
Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Solomon Mathew described the intervention as timely, saying it would reduce the cost of farm inputs, enable smallholder farmers to cultivate larger areas and improve productivity during the current farming season.
