Kaduna launches dry season empowerment programme with 100k fertilizer bags, 10k water pumps

Uba Sani, governor of Kaduna state, has launched a dry season agricultural empowerment programme, which includes distributing 100,000 fertiliser bags and 10,000 water pumps.

Sani spoke on Sunday during the launch of the Dry Season Agricultural Empowerment Programme, which aims to ensure farming all year round, held at Murtala Square.

He noted that his government allocated 10 percent of the 2025 budget to the agricultural sector, aligning with the Malabo benchmark set by African Union heads of state and government in June 2014.

‘’Today, we are launching the Dry Season Agricultural Empowerment Programme, a game-changing initiative designed to ensure that our farmers can produce food all year round,” Sani said.

‘’Under this programme, we are distributing 100,000 bags of fertilisers—both NPK and Urea—to enhance soil fertility and boost yields.

“Kaduna State has also procured 500 power tillers to assist smallholder farmers in land preparation, 2,000 knapsack sprayers for effective pest and disease control, and 10,000 water pumps, most of which are solar-powered to support irrigation and ensure uninterrupted farming during the dry season.’’

To improve productivity across the state, Sani said his administration is providing high-quality seeds and agrochemicals to agriculturists.

The governor said his administration is also addressing herder-farmer conflicts by investing in water infrastructure, rehabilitating grazing reserves, and promoting community dialogue.

‘KADUNA, AFREXIMBANK AQAC PROJECT CONSTRUCTION UNDERWAY’

Sani said Kaduna has attracted the Africa Quality Assurance Centre (AQAC), supported by African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), to provide vital testing, certification, and inspection services for agricultural products.

The state partnered with Afreximbank to establish the AQAC to inspect agricultural products for export in June 2024.

However, Uba noted that the project’s construction is now underway, which is expected to bolster Kaduna’s reputation as a key player in West Africa’s agricultural exports and certification services.

He also noted that his government has commenced constructing the Special Agricultural Processing Zone (SAPZ), a partnership between the state government and the African Development Bank (AfDB).

In December 2021, AfDB announced that its board had approved a $210 million loan to co-finance phase one of Nigeria’s SAPZ programme, which covers seven states, including Kaduna.

Giving an update on the partnership, Sani said the processing zone will be provided with necessary infrastructure, offering a bigger market for farmers, increasing production, and ensuring greater value addition for agricultural produce.

The governor appreciated President Bola Tinubu for supporting the state’s agricultural sector, saying that his administration could not have achieved such a milestone without the president’s support.

‘KADUNA BUDGETARY SUPPORT FOR AGRICULTURE INCREASED’

Murtala Dabo, Kaduna commissioner of agriculture, said under the Sani administration, there is an unprecedented increase in budgetary support for agriculture.

‘’In 2023, the sector received just N1.48 billion, a modest 0.4% of the state budget; this rose dramatically in 2024 to N23.40 billion when His Excellency, Sen. Uba Sani, came into office, representing 5.1 percent of the total budget, a 1,473 percent increase,” Dabo said.

‘’In 2025, the allocation reached N74.02 billion, bringing agriculture to 9.4 percent of the state budget, marking an astonishing 4,871 percrnt increase in just two years.

“This level of commitment underscores the governor’s determination to make agriculture a pillar of economic growth, ensuring food security, job creation, and improved livelihoods for our people.

“Agriculture already contributes 43 percent to Kaduna State’s GDP and employs a substantial proportion of our workforce.

“With this level of investment, we are not just supporting farmers—we are building an economy that is self-sustaining, productive, and resilient.”

Sharing a goodwill message, Aliyu Abdullahi, minister of state for agriculture, said the governor is “putting his money where his mouth is” by increasing Kaduna’s budgetary allocation to the agricultural sector.

Abdullahi also congratulated the governor on restoring peace in Birnin Gwari and other areas, noting that farmers returning to their farms is welcome news.

He commended the distribution of farming tools and inputs, predicting increased productivity and food supply for Kaduna state citizens.

Abdullahi asked other states to follow Kaduna’s example to increase farmers’ yields.