Farmers under the umbrella of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Chapter, have expressed concern over the continued delay in the distribution of 6,800 bags of fertiliser allocated to them under the Federal Government’s 2026 wet season intervention programme.
The fertilisers were earmarked for beneficiaries through the National Agricultural Development Fund’s (NADF) Renewed Hope Farm Input Support Programme (FISP), aimed at supporting farmers with essential inputs during the current planting season.
Speaking with Vanguard, the Chairman of AFAN FCT Chapter, Dr Perpetual Okafor, said farmers were becoming increasingly frustrated as the rainy season progresses without access to the fertilisers.
According to her, all the beneficiaries had already been identified and submitted through the appropriate channels, but the inputs remain undistributed despite repeated engagements with the FCT Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat.
Okafor recalled that the official flag-off ceremony for the fertiliser distribution was held on June 15, 2026, raising expectations among farmers that the products would be released immediately.
She explained that two days later, on June 17, she visited the Department of Agri-services to inquire about the distribution but was informed that the Mandate Secretary was unavailable to authorise the release.
The AFAN chairman said she has since made several attempts to contact the Mandate Secretary through telephone calls and text messages without receiving any response.
“It is very concerning that the fertilisers have not been released. The wet season farming will soon be over, and the fertilisers will no longer be useful to the farmers if not released on time,” she said.
She noted that the delay has already affected farming activities, forcing many farmers to purchase fertilisers from commercial outlets at significantly higher prices in order to avoid losing the planting season.
According to Okafor, the additional financial burden has placed many smallholder farmers under severe pressure, especially at a time when the cost of agricultural inputs remains high.
She warned that farmers could be compelled to take further action if the fertilisers are not released within the week.
The AFAN FCT chairman appealed to the FCT Administration and other relevant authorities to urgently intervene and facilitate the release of the fertilisers so that the intended beneficiaries can make effective use of them before the farming season advances further.
She explained that approximately 1,700 farmers across the FCT were expected to benefit from the allocation.
Okafor stressed that the intervention programme was designed to reduce production costs, improve food production and support farmers in increasing their yields during the wet season.
She expressed concern that prolonged delays could undermine the objectives of the programme and negatively affect agricultural output in the territory.
As of the time this report was filed, efforts to obtain an official response from the FCT Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat regarding the delay were unsuccessful.
