Farmers across the six Area Councils of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have called on the government, private sector and development partners to provide more land, modern farming equipment, processing facilities and other essential support to boost food production and improve farmers’ livelihoods.
The call was made at the 2026 FCT Farmers’ Day and International Year of Women Farmers Celebration, organised by the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), FCT Chapter, in partnership with Visionary Women in Agricultural Development in Africa (VIWADA), with support from the FCT Women Affairs Secretariat.
The two-day event, held on October 13 and 14 in Abuja, brought together farmers, government officials, private sector representatives, development partners and other stakeholders in the agricultural sector.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, AFAN National Deputy President, Chief Daniel Okafor, commended farmers for their continued efforts to feed the nation and produce agricultural commodities for export despite rising production costs and other challenges.
He praised FCT farmers for sustaining agricultural activities despite growing pressure on available land from housing and other development projects.
Okafor appealed to the government and relevant stakeholders to make farming less difficult by improving farmers’ access to land, inputs, equipment and other resources needed to increase yields.
In her welcome address, the AFAN FCT Chairman and Founder and President of VIWADA, Dr. Perpetual Nkechi Okafor, said the celebration was an opportunity to recognise farmers’ contributions to food and nutrition security while connecting them with investors, new technologies and practical agricultural solutions.
She said AFAN FCT, which has branches across the six Area Councils, has more than 5,000 members, with its numbers continuing to grow.
According to her, the annual celebration, which began in 2024, provides a platform for farmers to exchange knowledge, learn improved farming methods, showcase their produce and establish partnerships with investors and other players across the agricultural value chain.
Dr. Okafor identified access to land for cluster farming, modern equipment, cottage industries and agricultural processing centres as urgent needs of FCT farmers, saying that such facilities would help reduce post-harvest losses, create jobs, improve farmers’ earnings and strengthen food security.
The VIWADA President also called for the release of tractors which she said were laying unused at the premises of the National Agricultural Seeds Council, as well as the provision of gender-friendly agricultural equipment that women and men can operate effectively.
She commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security and the National Agricultural Development Fund for supporting farmers through agricultural interventions, including the distribution of fertilisers.
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She, however, appealed to the government to consider the different planting seasons across Nigeria when scheduling future interventions so that farmers could benefit at the right time.
In her goodwill message, the Acting Mandate Secretary of the FCT Women Affairs Secretariat, Hajia Asma’u Mukhtar, praised farmers for their contributions to feeding the FCT and neighbouring States and assured them of the Secretariat’s continued support.
She paid special tribute to women farmers, describing their resilience and commitment to agricultural production despite hardship as worthy of recognition.
Mukhtar said the International Year of Women Farmers offered an important opportunity to acknowledge women’s contributions to agriculture and promote greater support for their participation in the sector.
Similarly, the Director of the Extension Department of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, represented by Amaka Uyanwa, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to supporting farmers to increase food production and supply raw materials to industries.
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She encouraged farmers to embrace modern agricultural technologies and improved farming practices to raise productivity, strengthen their livelihoods and contribute to national food security.
The Senator representing the FCT, Ireti Kingibe, also expressed support for the farmers and called for increased investment in agriculture, improved access to farming inputs, modern storage facilities and better market opportunities across the territory.
“Agriculture remains essential to food security, employment generation and economic development and so, farmers deserve recognition, encouragement and opportunities to prosper” She stressed.
The AFAN National Women Leader, Yanusa Ladi, also commended farmers “for their contributions to national food production” and urged the government and other stakeholders to provide greater support, particularly for women in agriculture.
Representatives of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), OCP Africa, Andron Homes and other organisations also congratulated the farmers and pledged support for efforts to improve agricultural production and food security.
The AFAN Chairmen of Nasarawa and Rivers States, Isaac Kigbu and Mr. Akanda Nwagwungwu, attended the celebration to show solidarity with their FCT counterpart and reaffirmed their commitment to unity and progress within the association.
