Kano Farmers Decry Tinubu's Govt’s Neglect: "Fertilisers Are Too Expensive"

• Smallholder farmers in Kano state have expressed deep frustration over the federal government's failure to provide effective agricultural support, warning that Nigeria’s food security is in jeopardy
• The farmers cited high input costs, poor access to mechanised tools, and unaddressed flood risks as major challenges
• Despite government promises and budget allocations, local farmers say these interventions rarely reach them

Kano - Smallholder farmers across Kano state have raised urgent concerns over the federal government's failure to provide meaningful support to agriculture.

Kano is one of Nigeria's agricultural powerhouses. Farmers however say they face crippling challenges, warning that the nation's food security is under severe threat.

Some of the challenges mentioned by the farmers include exorbitant input costs, lack of mechanisation, and looming flood risks.

Kano farmers share experiences

In various interviews with a Legit.ng correspondent in Kano, some local farmers across agrarian communities in the state expressed frustration over unfulfilled government promises.

Malam Ibrahim Musa, a rice farmer in Garko local government, said government support reaches only politicians.

“Every planting season, we hear about government plans to support farmers, but honestly, nothing reaches us," he said.

“Now look at how fertilisers are too expensive, in some places where the government mentioned they are going to support farmers, they are currently unavailable, and even when they are, they are usually given to political allies instead of real farmers."

Alhaji Alhasan Usman, a maize and sorghum producer in Bunkure, shared similar concerns.

“Though we rely on rain-fed agriculture, without access to irrigation and good seeds, our yields keep dropping.

“The government talks about food security, but I always ask, where is the action? It is when the government act rightly at the right time, to support farmers, only then food security can be achieved,” he added.

Many smallholder farmers also shared Alhaji Hassan’s sentiments, stating that rising costs of farm inputs have made it difficult to sustain their livelihoods.

“We still use hoes and cutlasses in 2025 while other countries now use modern machines. We cannot afford them, and the government is not supporting us. So, is this how we want to achieve food security?" Malam Bala Isah lamented.

Kano farmers group faults government's approach

The All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Kano Chapter, also criticised the government’s approach to agricultural interventions.

Alhaji Abdurrashid Magaji Rimin Gado, AFAN state chairman in Kano, said the reality on the ground contradicts the government's promises.

"There is acute inadequacy of mechanised farming equipment, and fertilisers have become prohibitively expensive this year. Despite budget allocations for agriculture, the funds never trickle down to real farmers in the villages.

“The budget for agriculture is already meagre compared to what we need, but the little that is allocated doesn't reach the actual farmers,” he stated.

He added that the government’s policies are not translating into tangible support for farmers.

The AFAN chairman, while speaking to GTR Hausa, an online local broadcast media, also raised alarm about impending flood disasters, referencing early warnings from meteorological agencies.

Legit.ng notes that the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security had repeatedly pledged to boost food production through various initiatives. However, farmers say these programmes rarely trickle down to those who need them most, as many face a dilemma.

“We are caught between buying expensive inputs or risking poor harvests. Some of us have resorted to mixing fertiliser with poultry waste to make it last longer, but this affects yield quality,” Malam Sani Abubakar, a wheat farmer in Garun Mallam, explained.

FG launches farmer registry designed to link farmers to farmlands

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAFS) launched a farmer registry designed to link farmers to farmlands and facilitate targeted government support.

The National Identity Number (NIN)-backed registry was developed in collaboration with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), according to a joint statement by Joel Oruche, director of information at FMAFS, and Kayode Adegoke, head of corporate communications at NIMC.

The registry is part of President Bola Tinubu’s renewed hope agenda, prioritising food security by improving transparency and efficiency in the delivery of agricultural services.

Source: Legit.ng