Imo: For over 20,000 smallholder farmers across the South‑East, this planting season feels different.
The Federal Government has distributed 80,640 bags of fertiliser under the Renewed Hope Farm Input Support Programme (FISP), giving families in Imo, Enugu, Anambra, and Ebonyi states a chance to farm with less worry and more confidence.
At the launch in Imo, farmers welcomed the trucks with relief. “Last year, I struggled to buy fertiliser, and my harvest was poor,” said Emmanuel Nwosu, a rice farmer from Ebonyi. “This support means I can plant more and feed my family better.”
The programme, implemented by the National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF), is designed to close input gaps, strengthen rural economies, and support local fertiliser producers.
NADF Executive Secretary Mohammed Ibrahim explained that FISP is about more than fertiliser — it is about stabilising food prices, boosting productivity, and creating jobs.
Sen. Abubakar Kyari, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, described the initiative as a strategic step toward food self‑sufficiency.
He assured farmers that transparency would be maintained through agreements signed with state governments and the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN).
Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo, represented by Deputy Governor Mrs Chinyere Ekomaru, urged beneficiaries to use the fertiliser responsibly.
“We are planting food security, jobs, and a better future for the South‑East,” she said.
AFAN President Mohammed Magaji praised the timing of the intervention, noting that access to fertiliser at the start of the season would reduce costs and improve yields. “This is how we make farming profitable again,” he said.
For many farmers, the bags of fertiliser are more than inputs — they are seeds of hope.
With better harvests ahead, families across the South‑East look forward to fuller barns, higher incomes, and brighter futures.
