The Ebonyi State Government, under the auspices of the State Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, has distributed farm inputs to farmers in Izzi and Ebonyi Local Government Areas in Southeast Nigeria as part of efforts to address food shortages in the country.
The free distribution of inputs is intended to reach all Local Government Areas in Ebonyi State. It is a measure to ensure the initiative extends to every nook and cranny of the state.
The State Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Mrs. Nkechinyere Iyoku, disclosed this during the flag-off held at Iboko in Izzi Local Government Area and at Ugbodo, headquarters of Ebonyi Local Government Area.
She also called for the establishment of functional farms in all 13 LGAs and 64 development centres across the state to promote sustainable food security.
The Executive Chairman of Izzi Local Government Area, Barrister Stephen Emenike Nwankpa, issued a stern warning to farmers and stakeholders against the resale or diversion of the agricultural inputs distributed under the Ebonyi State Government’s free farm support programme.
“If I find even one bag sold to traders, I will unlock the store and share everything to the needy,” Nwankpa declared.
The distribution, part of Governor Francis Nwifuru’s agricultural intervention initiative, saw farmers in Izzi LGA receive:
•450 bags of inorganic fertilizer
•60 bags of organic fertilizer
•300 bags of 25kg certified Faro 44 rice seedlings
•200 cartons of herbicides (12 bottles per carton)
Nwankpa emphasized that the inputs were strictly for genuine farmers, not for profiteers or political actors.
“We know the real farmers in our villages. This is not the time to collect and sell. You must plant now. The fertilizers must be used now and not next season,” he said.
He added that local stakeholders had prepared allocation spreadsheets to ensure transparency, and that security personnel had been deployed to prevent diversion and sabotage.
“Even if we receive 30 trucks of fertilizer, our farmers will use them all. There’ll be no hoarding or black-market sales. We are ready and committed to full utilization,” he added.
Meanwhile, during the flag-off at Ugbodo, Prince Chinedu Uburu, Chairman of Ebonyi Local Government Area, hailed the initiative as a turning point in Governor Nwifuru’s strategy to position Ebonyi as a commercial-scale agricultural hub in Nigeria.
Also speaking, Uchenna Igwe, Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, described Governor Nwifuru as “a true farmer,” and assured citizens of a productive farming season.
The event also featured technical training sessions led by agricultural experts including Patrick Ogbinya, Ikechukwu Nwovu, and Francisca Anya, who educated attendees on cassava cultivation, Faro 44 rice farming, and value-added processing for nutrition.
In a closing address, His Royal Highness Eze John Nwenyi, a respected traditional ruler in Izzi land, commended the initiative and reaffirmed the area’s strong agricultural heritage.
“We don’t sell land in Izzi. We lease it for meaningful farming,” he added.