KADUNA — The Kaduna State Government has increased its investment in agriculture from N1.48 billion in 2023 to more than N100 billion in 2026, in a major push to strengthen food security, create jobs and improve the incomes of farmers across the state.
The Commissioner for Agriculture, Hon. Murtala Mohammed Dabo, disclosed this at the 2026 Kaduna State Council on Agriculture held in Kaduna under the theme: “Transforming Agriculture for Food Security, Economic Growth and Shared Prosperity in Kaduna State.”
Dabo said the increased investment had enabled the state government to expand support to farmers through the distribution of more than 1,400 truckloads of fertilizer over three farming seasons.
He said 500 truckloads of fertilizer were distributed in the current farming season to support 150,000 smallholder farmers, while another 69,000 smallholder farmers benefited from the Tallafin Noma programme through the provision of improved seeds, fertilizer, agrochemicals and mechanisation support.
The Commissioner also disclosed that the state had procured 400 tractors within the last three years as part of efforts to improve mechanised farming, while irrigation interventions had provided farmers with irrigation equipment, solar-powered water pumps and power tillers to support both wet and dry-season farming.
He said more than 100,000 farmers had benefited from agricultural insurance interventions designed to protect them against production risks.
According to him, the state government had also established a N10 billion agricultural financing partnership with the Bank of Agriculture, comprising contributions from both the state government and the bank, to expand access to affordable financing for smallholder farmers.
Dabo said the government's agricultural agenda was increasingly moving beyond primary production towards value addition and agro-industrialisation.
He identified the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone as one of the initiatives designed to link farmers with aggregation centres, processors, logistics providers and markets, thereby strengthening agricultural value chains within the state.
The Commissioner, however, said the volume of government investment and interventions should not be the only measure of success.
He said agricultural transformation must ultimately be assessed through increased productivity, improved farmers' incomes, reduced production costs and post-harvest losses, as well as better access to finance, technology, storage and markets.
Meanwhile, the Kaduna State Bureau of Statistics, KDBS, has called for greater harmonisation of agricultural data among government institutions and other stakeholders to strengthen planning, policy formulation and resource allocation in the sector.
The Statistician-General of the Bureau, Dr. Bukar Baba Alhaji, said reliable and disaggregated agricultural data was critical to understanding the number and distribution of farmers and determining the impact of government interventions.
He said data on smallholder farmers, women and young people was particularly important in identifying areas where resources were most needed and measuring the effectiveness of agricultural programmes.
Dr. Bukar said KDBS was collaborating with the Ministry of Agriculture, the Kaduna State Agricultural Development Agency, KADA, local government councils, farmers' organisations and development partners to establish a unified and evidence-based statistical framework for agriculture in the state.
He noted that the agricultural sector was undergoing significant changes due to climate variability, changing market conditions, technological developments and evolving consumer demands.
According to him, Kaduna's statistical system must therefore become more timely, responsive, accessible and sufficiently disaggregated to provide policymakers with the information required to respond effectively to emerging challenges.
The Statistician-General cautioned against fragmented data collection practices, saying differences in definitions, methodologies and reporting standards among institutions could make it difficult to develop a reliable picture of the state's agricultural performance.
KDBS consequently urged stakeholders to adopt common data standards and ensure that agricultural programmes were assessed through measurable results.
The Bureau said key questions that should guide data collection and analysis include the number of farmers reached by government interventions, the measurable impact of such programmes, existing supply-chain and productivity gaps, and which interventions are producing verifiable results.
In a goodwill message, the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa, AGRA, commended the Kaduna State Government for sustaining the Council on Agriculture as a platform for translating evidence, experience and collective ambition into policy direction and practical action.
The Country Director AGRA, Nigeria, represented by the Program Officer,AGRA, Nigeria, Dr. Esther Afor Ibrahim said agriculture must go beyond food production to create decent jobs, increase household incomes, strengthen resilience and expand opportunities for women, young people, smallholder farmers and vulnerable communities.
The organisation called for a shift from fragmented interventions towards a coordinated, market-led and climate-resilient food system.
Afor Ibrahim said such a system would require improved access to quality seeds, soil health solutions, extension and digital advisory services, finance, mechanisation, storage, aggregation and reliable markets.
She also called for stronger policies and public investments capable of attracting responsible private-sector capital, connecting research with farmers' needs, reducing post-harvest losses and encouraging innovation across priority agricultural value chains.
The organisation stressed that women and young people should not be treated merely as beneficiaries of agricultural development, but as farmers, entrepreneurs, innovators and leaders whose participation would be critical to the sustainability of the sector.
The AGRA Program Officer urged stakeholders to address barriers limiting their access to productive assets, finance, technology, skills, markets and decision-making, while ensuring the inclusion of persons with disabilities and underserved communities.
Ibrahim reaffirmed its commitment to working with the Kaduna State Government, farmer organisations, research institutions, financial institutions, civil society and private enterprises to strengthen institutions and scale up proven agricultural solutions.
The organisation urged participants at the Council to act with urgency, invest at scale and deliver with accountability.
It said the real measure of the Council would be reflected in higher agricultural productivity, better-functioning markets, more resilient livelihoods, reduced food insecurity and greater opportunities across Kaduna State.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Abubakar, said agriculture remained central to Kaduna State's economy, providing livelihoods for millions of people, supporting rural communities and supplying raw materials to industries.
He said the transformation of the sector was therefore essential to economic development, poverty reduction, employment creation and improved livelihoods.
The Permanent Secretary called for stronger coordination among government institutions, farmers, private investors, development partners, research institutions and financial institutions.
He also emphasised the need to promote climate-smart and sustainable agricultural practices to strengthen the resilience of farmers against climate change, pests, diseases and environmental degradation.
The 2026 Kaduna State Council on Agriculture brought together farmers and commodity associations, government officials, private-sector representatives, development and financial institutions, research institutions, traditional leaders, women and youth groups and other stakeholders in the agricultural sector.