Enugu State Governor, Dr. Peter Mbah, has launched a new round of free fertiliser and agro-input distribution for 60,000 registered farmers, marking a major stride toward food security, poverty reduction, and rural economic growth.
The event, held at Okpara Square and attended by thousands of farmers and stakeholders, follows a 2024 intervention in which 12,000 bags of fertilisers, power tillers, seedlings, cassava stems, and herbicides were distributed at no cost. Governor Mbah noted that the earlier initiative led to bumper harvests and lower food prices across the state.
“Today, we are distributing over 40,000 bags of fertilisers and other agro inputs. Our farmers are the backbone of our communities. Without you, there is no sustenance, no prosperity, and no growth,” Mbah said.
The governor also announced the establishment of 200-hectare farm estates in each of the state’s 260 political wards, complete with irrigation systems, warehouses, tractor sheds, and power supply. So far, 102 tractors have been delivered, with another 98 on the way and 800 more set for assembly at the state’s tractor plant.
Highlighting long-term plans, Mbah said the Enugu State Polytechnic, Iwollo, is being upgraded into a University of Agriculture to train the next generation of agricultural scientists, entrepreneurs, and innovators. Additional initiatives include Agro-Industrial Processing Zones and Agricultural Transformation Centers across the three senatorial zones.
The fertiliser distribution is targeted at registered farmers only, ensuring direct access without intermediaries. The state currently has over 60,000 farmers on its database.
Patrick Uburu, Commissioner for Agriculture and Agro-Industrialisation, commended the governor for reviving long-neglected assets, including Enugu United Palm Products, Adarice Irrigation Scheme, Ojor and Mgbagbu Owa irrigation projects, and Sunrise Flour Mill. He also highlighted new initiatives such as the Enugu State Livestock Productivity Centre, a Cocoa Development Initiative targeting 3,000 hectares by 2027, greenhouse farming with 2,000 units by 2026, and export warehouses for cashew processing. Uburu further praised the approval of crop insurance premiums to protect farmers from climate-related risks and pests.
The Chairman of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria, Enugu State Chapter, Mr. Romanus Eze, lauded the governor for fulfilling promises, noting that tractor availability has increased from fewer than five to over 200, and that mechanisation and farm estates are transforming agriculture into a profitable enterprise. Dr. Ibenaku Onoh, Chairman of Enugu North Local Government Area, described the initiative as inclusive governance, moving Enugu from a state of consumption to a state of production.
The ceremony concluded with the symbolic distribution of fertilisers to farmer cooperatives across the 17 local government areas, a step stakeholders described as significant for sustainable rural development and food security.
