The governor of Benue State, Hyacinth Alia, has announced a 51% subsidy on fertiliser for farmers in the state, as part of his administration’s efforts to modernise agriculture through smart land aggregation and greater access to farm inputs.
At the Benue Fertiliser Blending Plant in Makurdi’s Industrial Layout, the governor made the news on Thursday at the official flagging off of the 2026 Sales and Distribution Exercise of Fertiliser and Other Farm Inputs.
To help smallholder farmers and lower production costs, Alia announced that the state government would buy fertiliser at a reduced rate of ₦28,000 per bag and absorb 51% of the cost.
He elaborated that the initiative is part of a larger agricultural strategy to increase food security, increase arable land through land consolidation, and foster economic growth in rural areas, describing the exercise as more than just a seasonal intervention.
He made it clear that his government is doing all it can to make sure farmers have access to the high-quality seedlings, herbicides, and other agricultural inputs they need to commercialise their operations and boost production.
The fertiliser and input distribution scheme will reach all 23 LGAs in the state, according to Governor Alia. He also said that safeguards would be put in place to make sure that everyone could get their hands on the products fairly and that none of them would be diverted.
In order to accommodate the increasing number of farmers and back the development of new farmland through the state’s land aggregation program, he went on to say that the government had ramped up the production of fertiliser and other agricultural inputs.
In addition to constructing and repairing rural roads to make it easier to transport farm produce, expanding irrigation facilities to allow farming throughout the year, promoting agro-processing and value addition, and establishing capacity-building programs for farmers, youths, and women engaged in agribusiness are all items on the governor’s list of priorities for the agricultural sector.
Alia directed officials of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security to guarantee accountability, impartiality, and transparency in the distribution process while encouraging farmers to make the most of the program’s potential.
While emphasising that wrongdoers would face suitable punishments, he cautioned against diversion and misconduct.
Subpar fertiliser delivery in Benue State has been officially ended, according to Commissioner Benjamin Ashaver of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.
To eliminate inconsistencies and guarantee that only legitimate farmers across the state receive excellent farm inputs, Ashaver added that strong monitoring and enforcement measures have been put in place.