Bank of Agriculture Distributes Fertilizers to 500,000 Farmers

The Bank of Agriculture has initiated the distribution of fertilizers and seedlings to 500,000 smallholder farmers as part of a nationwide effort to boost food security and improve rural livelihoods. The program, which targets farmers across 20 states, is expected to support the cultivation of 520,000 hectares of farmland, generating an estimated additional 2.6 million tons of food in Nigeria.

Ayo Sotinrin, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Bank of Agriculture, announced the launch of this distribution exercise in Dutse, Jigawa State. The initiative is part of the federal government's Renewed Hope Agenda, which aims to strengthen the country's food production capacity.

The program has already made significant progress, with nearly 200,000 farmers financed and 1.8 million bags of fertilizer and 329,000 bags of high-yield seeds distributed. Solomon Mathew, representing the beneficiaries, commended the government's intervention, emphasizing its potential to alleviate the burden of acquiring costly farm inputs.