Over 60,000 farmers in Enugu State will benefit from a new round of free fertilizer and agricultural input distribution, flagged off by Governor Peter Mbah at Okpara Square.
Speaking at the event, which was attended by thousands of farmers, Governor Mbah described the program as part of his government’s plan to ensure food security, reduce poverty, and make farming more profitable.
He recalled that in 2024, his administration gave out 12,000 bags of fertilizers, seedlings, cassava stems, power tillers, and herbicides free of charge to farmers, which helped increase harvests and reduce food prices.
This year, the governor announced the distribution of more than 40,000 bags of fertilizers and other inputs. He also revealed that farm estates covering 200 hectares are being set up in each of the state’s 260 wards, with irrigation systems, warehouses, and tractors. So far, 102 tractors have been delivered, 98 more are on the way, and 800 will soon be assembled at a new tractor plant in Enugu.
Governor Mbah said:
“Farming is a big business. That is why we are upgrading the Enugu State Polytechnic, Iwollo, into a University of Agriculture to train the next generation of agricultural experts and entrepreneurs.”
He added that the inputs will go directly to farmers registered in the state’s database, ensuring there are no middlemen. Currently, more than 60,000 farmers are registered.
The Commissioner for Agriculture, Patrick Uburu, praised the governor for what he called an “agricultural revolution,” noting the revival of long abandoned projects like Enugu United Palm Products, Adarice Irrigation Scheme, and Sunrise Flour Mill. He also highlighted new initiatives such as the Livestock Productivity Centre, Cocoa Development Program, greenhouse farming, and crop insurance.
The Chairman of the All Farmers Association in Enugu, Romanus Eze, thanked the governor for keeping his promises, pointing out that the state has gone from fewer than five working tractors to more than 200, with many more expected soon.
Chairman of Enugu North Local Government, Dr. Ibenaku Onoh, described Mbah as a leader who focuses on both big and small projects, adding that the program is moving Enugu “from consumption to production.”
The event ended with fertilizers being symbolically shared to farmer cooperatives from all 17 local government areas, a move stakeholders hailed as a major step towards food security and rural development.
