Jigawa kicks off wet season farming with fertiliser for 90,000 farmers

Governor Umar Namadi of Jigawa State has explained that the state government’s 2026 Wet Season Agricultural Support Programme was designed to address the major challenges confronting farmers, including the high cost of agricultural inputs, inadequate irrigation facilities, limited extension services and rising production costs.

The governor made this known on Saturday during the official launch of the 2026 Wet Season Agricultural Support Programme at the Dutse Township Stadium.

He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to removing barriers to agricultural productivity and strengthening food security across the state.

Namadi acknowledged that many farmers in Jigawa continue to face significant challenges, particularly in accessing quality inputs on time, coping with rising energy costs and managing increasing production expenses.

According to him, the government’s intervention programme was carefully designed to provide practical solutions that would enable farmers to begin the farming season with the necessary inputs, equipment and support services.

“Our administration is mindful of the challenges faced by farmers, especially timely access to quality inputs, rising energy costs and other production expenses. This programme is a practical intervention to help farmers enter the season with the inputs, equipment and services they need for productive cultivation,” the governor said.

He announced that the state government would provide subsidised fertiliser to 90,000 farmers during the 2026 wet season farming campaign. Of the beneficiaries, 50,000 farmers will receive direct support from the state government, while another 40,000 will benefit through a partnership involving the Bank of Agriculture and StarAgri.

To tackle the challenge of high energy costs and boost irrigation farming, Governor Namadi disclosed that the government would distribute 6,000 high-capacity solar-powered water pumps to farmers engaged in year-round agricultural activities.

The governor further revealed that the administration would provide 1,185 motorcycles to agricultural extension workers to improve their mobility and ensure farmers across rural communities receive timely technical support and advisory services.

Namadi noted that the state’s agricultural transformation agenda had already yielded significant results, with more than 250,000 farmers benefiting from various interventions, including subsidised inputs, mechanisation services, irrigation support, extension services, and specialised programmes targeting young people and women in agribusiness.

He reiterated his administration’s determination to transform Jigawa into a leading agricultural hub through sustained investment in mechanisation, irrigation, seed production, agro-processing and climate-smart agricultural practices.

The Director General of the Jigawa Agricultural Transformation Agency (JATA), Dr Saifullahi Umar, urged beneficiaries of the various intervention programmes to utilise the support responsibly and ensure the prompt repayment of credit facilities to guarantee the sustainability and expansion of the initiatives.

The chairman of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) in Jigawa State, Alhaji Maiunguwa Jaga, described the intervention as timely and capable of transforming agricultural production across the state.