Governor Bassey Otu of Cross River State has assured the Federal Government that every bag of fertiliser allocated to farmers in the state will be closely monitored to ensure it reaches the intended beneficiaries.
The governor gave the assurance during the flag-off of the South-South Zonal Renewed Hope Farm Input Support Programme (FISP) in Calabar, describing the initiative as a crucial step toward boosting food production, reducing rising food prices and improving the livelihoods of rural farmers.
Represented by the Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly, Elvert Ayambem, Otu stressed that smallholder farmers remain the backbone of Nigeria's agricultural sector and insisted that no fertiliser meant for them should be diverted.
He pledged strict monitoring and accountability throughout the distribution process, maintaining that the intervention must translate into higher agricultural productivity, improved food security and stronger rural economies.
According to the governor, ensuring transparency in the exercise will help restore confidence in government agricultural interventions while guaranteeing that genuine farmers receive the support needed to increase yields during the farming season.
Otu also commended President Bola Tinubu, the Federal Government and the National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF) for launching the programme, describing it as a timely intervention aimed at addressing food insecurity across the country.
Speaking at the event, a representative of the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Mrs. Maddy George Sampson, described Cross River as one of Nigeria's leading agricultural states with enormous potential in cocoa, coffee and oil palm production.
She clarified that the fertiliser being distributed under the programme is a grant provided free of charge and should not be sold under any circumstance. According to her, the initiative is designed to bridge productivity gaps, increase farm yields, support local fertiliser production and strengthen Nigeria's food security.
Officials of the National Agricultural Development Fund disclosed that the South-South zone received an allocation of 80,640 bags of fertiliser to benefit about 25,200 farmers across Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Delta and Edo states.
Each verified beneficiary is expected to receive four bags of fully subsidised, locally produced fertiliser.
Representing the NADF Executive Secretary, Mr. Olalekan Alabi said every bag is branded, traceable and clearly marked "NOT FOR SALE" to discourage diversion. He added that validation and monitoring systems have been established nationwide to ensure the fertiliser gets to genuine farmers rather than middlemen or black-market operators.
The programme forms part of the Federal Government's broader efforts to improve food production, stabilise food prices and strengthen Nigeria's agricultural value chain through targeted support for smallholder farmers.
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