…Federal Government Applauds Abia’s Agricultural Revolution

Abia State has taken another significant step towards advancing the Federal Government’s agricultural transformation agenda with the official flag-off of the Abia State Farmers’ Input Support Programme.
This is an initiative designed to empower 18,634 verified farmers across the state’s 17 Local Government Areas with improved farm inputs aimed at boosting food production, creating jobs and strengthening food security.

Flagging off the programme at the Umuahia Township Stadium, Governor Dr. Alex Otti, described agriculture as a critical pillar of economic diversification and sustainable development, reaffirming his administration’s determination to transform the sector from subsistence farming to commercially driven agriculture.

The programme, themed “Improved Inputs, Increased Yields, Sustainable Prosperity for Farmers,” aligns with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda on agriculture, which prioritises increased food production, food security, poverty reduction, youth employment and sustainable economic growth through strategic investments in the agricultural sector.

Governor Otti announced that the programme, initially designed to benefit 17,000 farmers, was expanded to 18,634 beneficiaries following a successful farmers’ registration and verification exercise that produced a comprehensive Agricultural Dynamic Database System.
According to the Governor, the digital database guarantees transparency and accountability by ensuring that only genuine farmers with identifiable farmlands benefit from government interventions.
“We started with data gathering because we wanted to map every farmer to a farm. We now have a comprehensive database of our farmers. If we cannot identify you, we won’t be able to support you,” Governor Otti stated, while encouraging unregistered farmers to take advantage of the ongoing registration exercise.

He reiterated that although government would continue supporting smallholder farmers, the long-term objective is to develop commercial agriculture capable of driving industrial-scale food production and economic prosperity.
“Agriculture is a veritable business. We are aggressively promoting commercial agriculture because it holds the key to food security, employment generation and wealth creation,” the Governor said.
Governor Otti further disclosed that transportation had been provided to ensure beneficiaries convey the distributed farm inputs to their farms at no additional cost, describing farmers as indispensable partners in the state’s development agenda.
He also revealed that the favourable investment climate created by his administration has continued to attract major investors into the agricultural sector, including a multinational palm oil company that has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Abia State Government to invest up to 200 million US dollars in agricultural development.

Earlier, the Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr. Cliff Agbaeze, explained that all farm inputs—including improved varieties of cassava, maize, rice, plantain, sweet potatoes, pepper and tomato seedlings, organic fertilisers and herbicides—were fully funded by the state government and would be distributed free of charge.
He disclosed that 3,312 farmers received their inputs during the flag-off ceremony, while the remaining 15,322 beneficiaries would collect theirs through their respective Local Government Councils.
Dr. Agbaeze added that beneficiaries would also receive training and extension services to enable them adopt modern farming practices, increase productivity, improve livelihoods and transition from subsistence to commercial agriculture.

Delivering the keynote address, the Executive Director of the National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI), Umudike, Professor Chiedozie Egesi, described the programme as a major milestone in Abia’s agricultural transformation and a practical demonstration that agriculture has regained its rightful place as a priority in the state’s development agenda.
He commended Governor Otti’s visionary leadership and praised the establishment of the Agricultural Dynamic Database System, noting that it guarantees transparency while ensuring that government support reaches genuine farmers.
Professor Egesi stressed that agriculture remains the foundation of Nigeria’s future and aligns squarely with the Federal Government’s commitment to achieving national food sufficiency, reducing dependence on food imports and expanding the agricultural value chain.
He observed that Abia possesses the fertile soils, strategic location and natural resources required to become the agricultural hub of the South-East and one of Nigeria’s leading agri-food production centres if sustained investments continue.
The NRCRI boss reaffirmed the institute’s commitment to partnering with the Abia State Government in agricultural research, improved planting materials, mechanisation, technology transfer and farmers’ capacity building to strengthen food security and create sustainable wealth for farming communities.

In her goodwill message, the Vice-Chancellor of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Professor Ursula Ngozi Akanwa, applauded Governor Otti’s deliberate investments in agriculture, innovation and youth development.
She described the initiative as a strategic intervention that would improve productivity, strengthen agricultural value chains, enhance rural livelihoods and support sustainable food systems.
Professor Akanwa reaffirmed the University’s readiness to collaborate with the Abia State Government and relevant stakeholders in advancing climate-smart agriculture, agricultural research, technology transfer and extension services.

The programme featured the distribution of agricultural inputs to beneficiaries and the inspection of agricultural produce exhibitions by Governor Otti and other dignitaries.
The initiative underscores the complementary roles of the Federal and Abia State Governments in driving agricultural development. This also demonstrates how strategic investments, innovation and strong partnerships can accelerate food security, stimulate rural economies, create employment opportunities and advance Nigeria’s agricultural transformation agenda.

The Abia State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to the welfare and empowerment of youths who participated in the Agricultural Training Programme in Osun State, dismissing insinuations in some quarters that the beneficiaries have been abandoned.

The Honourable Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr. Cliff Agbaeze, FCIB, gave the clarification while reacting to reports circulating on social media regarding the status of the trainees.

Dr. Agbaeze stated that the initiative was conceived by the administration of Alex Otti as part of its broader strategy to equip Abia youths with practical Agricultural and entrepreneurial skills capable of promoting food security, self-reliance, job creation, and economic growth.

According to the Commissioner, the State Government is currently putting in place the necessary framework to ensure that the beneficiaries are effectively integrated into the administration’s ongoing agricultural and youth empowerment programmes in a sustainable and impactful manner.

He recalled that in 2024, the State Government trained over 300 Abia youths at CSS Farms in Nasarawa State and subsequently supported them with empowerment packages of up to N2.3 million each to establish agricultural enterprises. He noted that many of the beneficiaries are presently thriving in their various Agricultural ventures.

The Commissioner further disclosed that under the LIFE-ND Programme, the State Government has trained and empowered more than 4,000 youth incubatees across different Agricultural value chains. He added that barely three weeks ago, another batch of 276 youth incubatees graduated and received initial working capital support of about N500,000 each.

Dr. Agbaeze emphasized that the empowerment of the 28 youths trained in Osun remains part of the government’s overall Agricultural development and youth empowerment agenda, stressing that the administration is committed to integrating them into a more structured and sustainable framework rather than handling the initiative in isolation.

He noted that some of the affected trainees had personally reached out to him, either through visits or phone calls, to seek clarification on the matter, adding that they were duly assured that the government has not abandoned them and remains committed to addressing their concerns.

While appealing to the beneficiaries to remain patient as the necessary processes are being concluded, the Commissioner cautioned youths against allowing themselves to be used as instruments of political propaganda by desperate and unscrupulous elements.

Dr. Agbaeze reiterated that the administration of Governor Alex Otti remains resolute in fulfilling its promises to the people of Abia State, particularly in the area of youth empowerment and Agricultural transformation.

Signed:

Oluchi Franklin-Oji
Public Relations Officer
Ministry of Agriculture
Abia State