Nigeria's Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, working with the National Agricultural Development Fund, has started distributing emergency agricultural inputs to onion farmers affected by flooding in the northern parts of the country. The program targets 2,000 onion growers in Borno, Yobe, Sokoto, and Kebbi States.
The distribution took place simultaneously in selected communities across the four states and forms part of a broader response to flood damage that affected farm production during the 2024 season. Each beneficiary received four 50 kg bags of 15-15-15 NPK fertiliser, three packs of red and white onion seed, and packages of insecticides and herbicides.
The intervention was launched at the Borno Fertilizer Company and Farm Centre in Maiduguri. Mohammed Ibrahim, Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of the National Agricultural Development Fund, said the program is intended to address production losses linked to flooding and to reduce post-harvest challenges faced by growers. Represented at the event by Shettima Gambo Lawan, Lead for Public Partnerships, he said post-harvest losses remain a major constraint on farm incomes and overall productivity.
"This intervention, which directly benefits over 2,000 onion farmers, is a significant step toward recovery. The onion value chain remains one of the strategic agricultural subsectors contributing significantly to livelihoods, nutrition, and rural economic development. Unfortunately, many of our onion farmers have suffered devastating losses due to unprecedented flooding," Ibrahim said.
He added that the input distribution marks the first phase of a broader Onion Intervention Program designed to help farmers return to production. According to NADF, the initiative was developed in coordination with state governments and other agricultural stakeholders and focuses on restoring production capacity following climate-related shocks.
State governments involved in the program welcomed the intervention. In Borno State, Governor Babagana Zulum, represented by the Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Bawu Musami Alhaji, said 450 onion farmers in the state would benefit directly, with the remaining 1,550 beneficiaries drawn from Yobe, Sokoto, and Kebbi States.
"On behalf of Borno State Government and my fellow Governors of Yobe, Sokoto, and Kebbi, let us extend our gratitude to the National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF) for the concern, political will, and financial commitment that gave birth to this timely and impactful intervention," the governor said.
He added that the program addresses production disruptions caused by flooding and supports the role of smallholder farmers in maintaining the domestic food supply.
Source: Business Day
