The Ekiti State Government on Thursday flagged off the Renewed Hope Farm Inputs Support Programme (FISP) Phase I and commenced the distribution of fertilisers to farmers to enhance agricultural productivity and strengthen food security.

The State Governor ,Mr Biodun Oyebanji said the programme would support farmers during the 2026 planting season and boost food production across the state.

Oyebanji, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Habibat Adubiaro, spoke at the inauguration ceremony held at the Osuntokun Pavilion, Ado-Ekiti.

He commended President Bola Tinubu for prioritising agriculture through interventions being implemented by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security and the National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF).

According to him, the programme demonstrates the Federal Government’s commitment to accelerating domestic food production through the timely provision of fertilisers to farmers.

The governor said agriculture, under the Renewed Hope Agenda, was being repositioned as a viable business capable of driving industrialisation, creating jobs, reducing poverty and ensuring sustainable food security.

Oyebanji also commended the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Abubakar Kyari; the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi; and the Executive Secretary of NADF, Mr Mohammed Ibrahim, for facilitating the programme.

He recalled that the Federal Government supplied Ekiti with 18,000 bags of fertiliser in 2024, comprising 9,000 bags each of NPK and Urea, which were distributed to farmers across the state.

The governor highlighted ongoing agricultural interventions by his administration, including free land clearing for farming communities and cooperatives, a 50 per cent subsidy on mechanised land preparation, provision of improved seedlings, support for farmers’ cooperatives and strategic partnerships to improve productivity and market access.

He added that the Bring Back Youth into Agriculture (BBYA) Programme was currently operating in about 12 clusters across the state, while the Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP) had constructed rural roads across the 16 local government areas to facilitate the movement of farm produce to markets.

According to him, the interventions have contributed significantly to food availability and affordability in the state.

In his remarks, the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Abdullahi, reiterated President Tinubu’s vision of ensuring that Nigeria produces what it consumes and consumes what it produces.

He said the Renewed Hope Agenda places agriculture at the centre of economic growth, food security and national development.

The minister noted that the fertiliser being distributed was blended locally to suit the soil conditions across the country.

Earlier, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Mr Ebenezer Boluwade, said the Oyebanji administration had consistently aligned with the Federal Government’s policies on food sufficiency and sustainability.

Boluwade said the state had, in the last three and a half years, implemented several initiatives aimed at increasing food production and agricultural productivity.

“As of today, we have cleared close to 5,500 hectares of land, while thousands of farmers have benefited from our subsidised tractorisation scheme.

“The distribution of free fertiliser today complements our efforts towards optimal food production and wealth creation,” he said.

The commissioner congratulated farmers in the state and urged beneficiaries to make judicious use of the fertiliser rather than sell it, noting that extension officers would monitor its utilisation.

Also speaking, the National President of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Mr Kabir Ibrahim, described the fertiliser support programme as timely and impactful.

He disclosed that 20,160 bags of fertiliser would be distributed to 5,040 smallholder farmers across the South-West under the programme.

According to him, the intervention will reduce production costs, improve crop yields and enhance the productivity of smallholder farmers.

Ibrahim commended the transparent and database-driven process adopted for selecting beneficiaries, saying it would ensure that the support reached genuine farmers.

He also praised the Oyebanji administration for its sustained investment in agriculture and support for farmers.

The Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of NADF, Mohammed Ibrahim, said the programme was designed to provide timely farm inputs to farmers ahead of the wet-season farming activities.

He urged beneficiaries to utilise the fertilisers effectively to increase productivity and contribute to national food security.

The event was attended by government officials, farmers’ associations, agricultural stakeholders, development partners and beneficiaries from across Ekiti State and the South-West region.