The National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF) has concluded a review of the pilot phase of its Farm Input Supply Programme, as part of efforts to strengthen delivery, coordination and impact ahead of the next farming season.
The review was the focus of a stakeholders’ roundtable organised by the agency, which brought together agricultural processors, consultants and other sector players to assess challenges encountered during the pilot phase and fine-tune strategies for improved implementation.
Speaking at the event, the Executive Secretary of NADF, Mohammed Ibrahim, said the programme was designed to empower smallholder farmers by addressing one of the most persistent challenges in Nigerian agriculture timely access to quality farm inputs. He was represented by the General Manager, Partnerships and Investor Relations, Nasir Ingawa.
Ingawa explained that NADF was established to mobilise and deploy sustainable financing to boost agricultural productivity, resilience and inclusive growth, particularly among smallholder farmers and agribusinesses across the value chain.
According to him, the Farm Input Supply Programme was conceived as a strategic intervention to improve access to essential inputs, increase yields and strengthen rural livelihoods through structured out-grower arrangements.
He noted that while the pilot phase recorded modest gains, it was affected by implementation challenges, including delays in input delivery, which disrupted planting cycles and impacted projected yields.
“The purpose of this roundtable is to learn from the pilot phase and refine our programme design, logistics, timelines and quality assurance processes,” Ingawa said, adding that future implementation would also integrate climate-risk considerations.
He identified input supply logistics, weather-related factors, climate variability and government policies on farm input importation as key challenges that affected programme execution.
“As we approach the next wet season, we are optimistic that relevant government policies will be reviewed and adjusted in line with prevailing realities to support effective implementation,” he said.
An agricultural consultant and processor, Prof. Mukhtar Abdullahi, described the programme as timely and relevant, noting its potential to empower farmers and address critical constraints across the agricultural value chain. However, he pointed out that logistics bottlenecks and changes in importation policies delayed access to inputs during the pilot phase.
Abdullahi commended the introduction of a 50 per cent subsidy on farm inputs, describing it as a significant intervention that could enhance farmers’ competitiveness and productivity, while cautioning that declining commodity prices could affect farmers’ loan repayment capacity.
The NADF said insights from the review would guide improvements to the programme as it scales up, with a renewed focus on empowering smallholder farmers, strengthening value chains and supporting sustainable agricultural growth nationwide.
