Hassan Turaki.
90,000 Farmers to Receive Fertiliser, 6,000 Solar Pumps, 1,185 Extension Motorcycles.
Jigawa State Governor, Malam Umar A. Namadi, FCA, on Saturday officially flagged off the 2026 Wet Season Agricultural Support Programme at Dutse Township Stadium, describing it as a key step in the state’s Agricultural Transformation Agenda to strengthen food security and improve farmers’ livelihoods.In his address, Governor Namadi said the programme was designed to help farmers start the season with needed inputs, equipment, and services.
He noted that over the last three years, the state had supported farmers through wet and dry-season production, irrigation, mechanisation, extension delivery, and agricultural financing, while also tackling challenges such as input access and rising energy costs.Under the 2026 programme, 90,000 farmers across the state will receive fertilizer support.
The Jigawa State Government will fully support 50,000 farmers, while an additional 40,000 will be covered through partnerships with the Bank of Agriculture and StarAgri.
The state will also distribute 6,000 high-capacity solar water pumps to reduce energy costs and support irrigation, as well as 1,185 motorcycles to strengthen extension service delivery.
The Governor said the interventions are already yielding results, with over 250,000 farmers supported so far through inputs, mechanization, irrigation, extension services, and targeted programmes for youth and women in agribusiness.
Key achievements listed include 1,700 extension agents deployed, 450 tractors, 70 combine harvesters, 20 modern greenhouses, 4 climate-smart agriculture centres, rehabilitation of Kuda and Dembo dams, and 200 5-in-1 rice processing clusters across the three senatorial districts.
Governor Namadi stressed that government cannot achieve agricultural transformation alone. He appreciated the Bank of Agriculture, StarAgri, the Federal Government, development partners, financial institutions, and farmer cooperatives for expanding farmers’ access to inputs, finance, technology, and markets.
Quoting the Hausa adage “Noma Tushen Arziki” meaning farming is the foundation of prosperity, the Governor said the vision is to make Jigawa a leading food basket, a hub for mechanisation, irrigation, seed production, agro-processing, and agribusiness investment.
He urged farmers to use inputs responsibly, work with extension agents, and repay credit facilities promptly to sustain the support.Earlier, Director General of the Jigawa State Agricultural Transformation Agency, J-ATA, Dr. Saifullahi Umar, said the programme was “a comprehensive, end-to-end support ecosystem” covering inputs, finance, water management, and technical knowledge.
He said it was launched at a time of economic pressure and rising food prices, making increased local production a matter of national security.
Dr. Umar outlined the 2026 programme pillars: subsidized rice inputs, StarAgri input loans on credit, JASCO subsidized fertilizer sales, a soft loan solar pump scheme, and motorcycles for JAGRO extension agents.
He said the defining feature this year is full digitization through the Jigawa State Farmer Registry, with biometric registration, SMS allocation tokens, electronic verification, and cashless payment to eliminate middlemen and diversion.On fertilizer, Dr. Umar said JASCO stores will sell a maximum of five bags per registered farmer, strictly verified against the digital registry.
For finance, the StarAgri Input Loan Programme will offer two options: 50% or 70% equity upfront, with the balance repaid post-harvest through a commodity buy-back system at local collection centres.
The J-ATA DG also announced a Soft Loan Solar Water Pump Programme to enable dry-season farming and climate-resilient agriculture, adding that digital tools and mechanization were being introduced to make farming attractive to youth and women.
Governor Namadi formally declared the Jigawa State 2026 Wet Season Agricultural Support Programme launched, praying for abundant harvest, protection for farmers, and continued prosperity for Jigawa and Nigeria.
