The Abia State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to transforming agriculture into a major driver of economic growth and food security with the official flag-off of the Abia State Farmers Input Support Programme, which empowered 18,634 verified farmers across the state’s 17 Local Government Areas.

The event, held on Friday at the Umuahia Township Stadium, witnessed the distribution of improved planting materials, organic fertilizers and other essential agricultural inputs to verified farmers at no cost. The state government also provided free transportation for beneficiaries to and from their communities, ensuring that every eligible farmer benefited without financial burden.

Speaking during the ceremony, Governor Alex Otti said the programme represents a new era of evidence based agricultural planning, stressing that all beneficiaries emerged from a comprehensive digital registration and verification exercise aimed at eliminating ghost farmers, promoting transparency and ensuring that government support reaches genuine farmers.

Governor Otti explained that the digital database links every registered farmer to verifiable farmland, making it easier for government to plan, monitor and implement agricultural interventions effectively. He encouraged farmers who are yet to register to take advantage of the ongoing registration exercise in order to benefit from future government programmes.

The Governor noted that while the administration remains committed to supporting smallholder farmers, its long term vision is to develop commercial agriculture capable of increasing food production, creating employment opportunities, strengthening agro-industrial value chains and diversifying the state’s economy.

According to him, agriculture must be approached as a profitable business capable of attracting investment, improving household incomes and guaranteeing food security for the people of Abia State.

Governor Otti further disclosed that the state’s improved investment climate has continued to attract local and international investors, revealing that the government recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with a multinational palm oil company proposing investments worth up to 200 million United States dollars. He said such investments would accelerate agricultural industrialization, reduce poverty, create thousands of jobs and position Abia as a leading agricultural investment destination.

Earlier in his address, the Honourable Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr. Cliff Agbaeze, FCIB, described the programme as the first phase of a broader agricultural support initiative.

He disclosed that about five additional batches of agricultural inputs would be distributed to farmers after the current exercise, assuring those who were not captured in the first phase that they still have opportunities to benefit.

Dr. Agbaeze emphasized that only farmers who have been properly registered and authenticated on the state’s agricultural database would qualify for government interventions.

“We are determined to eliminate ghost and portfolio farmers. Every input distributed under this programme has been fully paid for by the Abia State Government and will be given to genuine farmers completely free of charge,” he said.

He added that over 100 tonnes of fertilizer had already been made available for distribution alongside improved seedlings and other farm inputs designed to support modern, environmentally sustainable farming practices.

According to the Commissioner, beneficiaries will also receive continuous training and extension services through partnerships between the Ministry of Agriculture, the Agricultural Development Programme (ADP), and experts from Micheal Ọkpara University of Agriculture Umudike.

Dr. Agbaeze noted that the overall objective of the programme is to transform subsistence farmers into commercial producers capable of supplying food not only within Abia State but across Nigeria and beyond.

He added that increased agricultural productivity would improve farmers’ incomes, enhance food security, engage more youths in productive ventures, reduce crime and ultimately lower food prices through increased supply.

The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Dr. Ijeoma Adanma Aguwa, described the occasion as another historic milestone in the development of agriculture in Abia State.

She said the Farmers Input Support Programme goes beyond the distribution of farm inputs, describing it as “the planting of confidence, opportunity and prosperity” in the lives of thousands of farmers.

Dr. Aguwa commended Governor Alex Otti for his visionary leadership and unwavering commitment to agriculture, noting that investing in farmers is an investment in the future of the state.

She encouraged beneficiaries to utilize the inputs responsibly, adopt improved agricultural practices and contribute to achieving sustainable food production, improved incomes and economic prosperity for farming communities across the state.

Also speaking, the Vice-Chancellor of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike, Professor Ursula Ngozi Akanwa, described the initiative as a strategic intervention that demonstrates the Abia State Government’s commitment to agricultural transformation, rural development and economic growth.

The Vice-Chancellor stressed that agriculture remains the backbone of Nigeria’s economy and one of the most reliable tools for achieving food sufficiency, poverty reduction and national development.

On behalf of the National Root Crops Research Institute, Professor Chiedozie Egesi  applauded the introduction of the Abia Agricultural Dynamic Database System (ADDS), describing it as one of the most significant innovations of the programme.

He noted that modern agriculture depends heavily on accurate data, explaining that the database enables government to identify genuine farmers, determine what they cultivate, where they farm and the scale of their operations.

According to him, such technology driven planning reduces leakages, improves efficiency, ensures accountability and guarantees that government interventions reach deserving beneficiaries.

Professor Egesi further explained that the Federal Government’s Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ), supported by the African Development Bank, has identified Abia State for strategic investments in oil palm, cocoa, cassava, rice and other agricultural value chains.

He said the initiative would create opportunities for farmers to supply processing industries located closer to production areas, thereby reducing post-harvest losses, increasing incomes, creating industries and generating employment.

He urged farmers to keep their registration details updated, assuring them that the database would continue to provide access to future agricultural opportunities.

Beneficiaries of the programme expressed appreciation to Governor Alex Otti and the Ministry of Agriculture for remembering farmers through the intervention.

They pledged to make effective use of the inputs to increase food production, improve their livelihoods and contribute meaningfully to the state’s drive towards food sufficiency and agricultural prosperity.