A New Dawn for Farmers: Katsina Governor Launches Subsidised Fertiliser Programme

A New Dawn for Farmers: Katsina Governor Launches Subsidised Fertiliser Programme

On a bright Monday morning, April 20, 2026, the dusty fields of Malumfashi Local Government Area became the stage for a promise fulfilled. There, amidst farmers who had long awaited such a moment, Katsina State Governor, Malam Dikko Umaru Radda, officially launched the 2026 Fertiliser Sales and Distribution Programme—a move designed to breathe fresh life into the state’s agricultural heart.

For Governor Radda, this was no mere ceremony. It was a pledge kept. “From the very beginning of this administration, we made a clear commitment—that agriculture will remain a top priority, and that our farmers will continue to receive timely and meaningful support,” he told the gathering. And this year, the support came with a price that felt almost like a gift: each bag of fertiliser would be sold at a heavily subsidised rate of just ₦25,000.

But the governor’s vision went far beyond discounting. He announced that the distribution system had been not only sustained from last year’s success but also strengthened and decentralised. Across all 6,652 polling units in the state, fertiliser would reach farmers directly—no middlemen, no diversions. The numbers told the story: Funtua Zone would receive 60 bags per polling unit, Katsina Zone 50 bags, and Daura Zone 45 bags. Additionally, ten large-scale farmers per ward would each get ten extra bags to boost production.

“This eliminates middlemen, reduces diversion, and ensures that fertiliser gets directly to those who need it most—the farmers,” Radda declared.

Yet fertiliser alone, he stressed, could not transform agriculture. So his administration had woven a wider safety net. Hand-powered tillers had been distributed to ease backbreaking labour. Tractors and modern implements now roamed the state’s farmlands. Over 3,000 tube wells were being drilled free of charge to ensure year-round water access. Last year, 4,000 solar-powered pumps were given out; this year, an additional 4,000 gasoline-powered irrigation pumps had been provided across 361 wards, alongside liquid fertilisers, pesticides, and herbicides.

The governor had also procured six tube-well drilling machines, three air compressors, a cutter suction dredger, and an amphibious swamp buggy excavator—machinery destined to dredge and rehabilitate small earth dams, expanding irrigation capacity even further. Improved seedlings, too, would soon be available at subsidised rates.

Perhaps most inspiring was the investment in the future. “Currently, 361 young men and women are undergoing training in modern farming, agro-processing, and agribusiness,” Governor Radda said. “They represent the next generation that will drive agricultural transformation in our state.”

Earlier, the Honourable Commissioner for Agriculture, Lawal Aliyu Shargalle, described agriculture under Governor Radda as a “renewed engine of hope.” He noted that not a single farming season had passed without direct fertiliser support since the administration began. He also revealed a partnership with the Community Development Programme (CDP) to ensure transparency—every bag tracked, weekly reports submitted to the governor.

Dr. Kamaludden Kabir, the CDP Coordinator, praised the governor’s consistent investments. He recalled the distribution of over 4,000 hand-powered tillers and more than 4,000 solar-powered irrigation pumps. Even in the face of banditry that had cost the state many farming cattle, these interventions had turned the tide, making farming easier and more accessible for ordinary people.

The Chairman of Malumfashi Local Government, Hon. Muntari Abdullahi, added his voice, thanking the governor not only for the timely fertiliser but also for restoring peace, creating jobs in education and health, and showering developmental attention on Malumfashi. “The various projects and facilities provided have had a positive impact on the lives of our people,” he said.

As the sun climbed higher over Malumfashi, the message was clear: Katsina was planting more than seeds. It was planting hope.