FIC Report (Benue State) – Governor Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Iormem Alia has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to transforming agriculture into a major driver of economic growth and food security in Benue State through strategic investments in farm inputs and large-scale land cultivation initiatives.
The Governor made the declaration on Thursday, June 4, 2026, while flagging off the 2026 Fertilizer and Other Farm Inputs Sales and Distribution Exercise at the Benue Fertilizer Blending Plant, Industrial Layout, Makurdi.
A press statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Sir Tersoo Kula, MNIPR, disclosed that Governor Alia announced a 51 percent subsidy on fertilizer, reducing the cost to farmers to ₦28,000 per bag, with the state government absorbing the remaining cost to ease the burden on farmers and encourage increased agricultural production.
Governor Alia described the programme as a strategic intervention designed to boost food production, enhance farmers’ productivity, and strengthen Benue State’s position as the Food Basket of the Nation. He noted that the initiative goes beyond seasonal support and aligns with the administration’s broader agenda of expanding cultivated land through land aggregation and promoting commercial agriculture.
The Governor stated that farmers across the 23 Local Government Areas of the state would benefit from the exercise, adding that robust monitoring mechanisms have been introduced to ensure transparency, accountability, and equitable distribution of the inputs.
He further explained that government has increased the volume of fertilizer and other farm inputs available for distribution to meet the demands of the growing farming population and the expansion of farmlands under the state’s agricultural development programme.
Governor Alia also highlighted other components of his administration’s agricultural agenda, including the development of rural roads to facilitate the movement of farm produce, expansion of irrigation facilities for all-season farming, promotion of agro-processing and value addition, as well as training and empowerment programmes for farmers, youths, and women engaged in agribusiness.
He urged farmers to make effective use of the subsidized inputs and called on officials responsible for the distribution exercise to uphold transparency and professionalism in the discharge of their duties.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Hon. Benjamin Ashaver, assured farmers of the quality of the fertilizer being distributed and warned against any act of diversion or malpractice, stressing that government has put in place strict measures to safeguard the integrity of the programme.
The fertilizer distribution exercise is expected to contribute significantly to increased agricultural productivity, improved food availability, and sustainable economic growth across Benue State.
Signed:
Irene Iveren Onehi
Head of Center
Federal Information Centre
Makurdi
