The Enugu State Government has rolled out the distribution of over 40,000 bags of fertilisers and other inputs to more than 60,000 farmers nationwide to improve agricultural transformation.

Governor Peter Mbah flagged off the programme at Okpara Square, in a ceremony attended by thousands of farmers, stakeholders, and government officials. 

The initiative, he said, is part of his administration’s drive to achieve food security, eradicate poverty, and make farming a profitable venture.

Speaking at the event, Mbah recalled that in 2024, his administration distributed 12,000 bags of fertilisers alongside power tillers, seedlings, cassava stems, and herbicides at no cost to farmers, leading to bumper harvests and reduced food prices.

“Therefore, it gives me great joy to be here today to flag off the distribution of over 40,000 bags of free fertilisers and other agro inputs. Our farmers are the backbone of our communities, the hands that till the soil and bring food to our tables. Without you, there is no sustenance, no prosperity, and no growth,” Governor Mbah said.

He announced the establishment of 200-hectare farm estates in each of the state’s 260 political wards, equipped with irrigation systems, warehouses, tractor sheds, and power supply. 

According to the governor, 102 tractors have already been delivered, 98 more are on the way, and 800 tractors will soon be assembled at a tractor plant nearing completion in the state capital.

“Farming is big business. That is why we are upgrading the Enugu State Polytechnic, Iwollo, into a University of Agriculture to train the next generation of agricultural scientists, entrepreneurs, and innovators,” Mbah added.

He further revealed plans for Agro-Industrial Processing Zones and Agricultural Transformation Centres across the state’s three senatorial districts, stressing that inputs would go directly to registered farmers without middlemen.

“There is no red tape. The only precondition is to be a registered farmer. Currently, we have over 60,000 farmers in our database,” he said.

The Commissioner for Agriculture and Agro-Industrialisation, Patrick Uburu, commended Mbah’s leadership and described the initiative as an “agricultural revolution.”

Uburu noted that assets such as the Enugu United Palm Products, Adarice Irrigation Scheme, Ojor and Mgbagbu Owa irrigation projects, and Sunrise Flour Mill are now active again under the governor’s watch.

He highlighted upcoming initiatives, including the Enugu State Livestock Productivity Centre, a Cocoa Development Initiative targeting 3,000 hectares by 2027, 2,000 greenhouse farms by 2026, and export warehouses for cashew processing.

“Today’s event signifies a new chapter, an affirmation that the Governor is fully committed to transforming our rural communities into vibrant centres of economic growth and prosperity. The sense of pride I derive as Commissioner is immeasurable. It is all thanks to His Excellency, Dr. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, a man for whom there are no impossibilities,” Uburu said.

The Chairman of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Enugu State Chapter, Mr Romanus Eze, also praised the governor for bringing mechanisation closer to farmers.

“The governor has not only given us inputs, but he has brought mechanisation to our doorsteps. He promised 1,000 tractors, and today we are seeing them. The farm estates that are coming up in every ward, the new seed laboratory, and the support from traditional rulers for land access are transforming agriculture into a real business,” Eze said.

The Chairman of Enugu North Local Government Area, Dr Ibenaku Onoh, described Mbah as a leader “who does the big things as well as the small things,” adding:

“What you are doing is to move Enugu from a state of consumption to a state of production. In agriculture, transport, water, and other sectors, you are doing wonders. The people are happy, and we promise to continue protecting your mandate.”

The event concluded with a symbolic distribution of fertilisers to farmer cooperatives from all 17 local government areas, which stakeholders hailed as “a giant leap towards food security and sustainable rural development.”

Source: Independent News

Image Credit: Daily News