The Governor of Benue State, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, recently, launched the 2026 fertilizer and other farm inputs sales and distribution and expressed the state government’s commitment to building a modern, resilient and commercially viable agriculture sector capable of creating jobs, reducing poverty, and driving economic growth.
According to him, the event was a demonstration of his administration’s commitment to food security, agricultural productivity, rural prosperity, and economic advancement of the people. He rolled out other agricultural programmes outlined by his administration and announced a subsidized price for the fertilizer. The governor appealed to the people of Benue State to continue to work together to strengthen Benue’s position as the “Food basket of the nation” and a leading hub of agricultural excellence in Nigeria.
Despite government’s efforts, farmers in the “food basket of the nation” continue to navigate severe difficulties such as insecurity and displacement, high market prices of farm inputs, late distribution of farm inputs, high cost of fuel, poor state of rural roads, and post-harvest losses, among others.
For over two decades, farmers from Gwer-West, Guma, Kwande, Ukum, Logo, Gwer, Apa, Agatu, Otukpo Local Government Areas have been facing armed herders’ attacks. They face persistent displacement, loss of lives and abandonment of critical farmlands on a yearly basis.
Surging fuel prices reaching above N1, 300 per liter have severely crippled agricultural production. Some farmers are struggling with skyrocketing costs for transportation and payment for labour. This financial strain has forced many to either reduce their farm sizes or abandon farming completely considering the value of farm produce, triggering a sharp decline in food output and worsening food insecurity.
The crash in food prices, which, on one hand, offers vital relief to consumers has, on the other hand, triggered severe financial crises for farmers, who are now struggling to recover high production and input costs. This pricing paradox threatens long term food security as heavily indebted farmers may be unable to afford the next planting season.
Another major challenge faced by Benue farmers is the poor state of rural roads, which makes it notoriously difficult and expensive for farmers to move produce from remote villages to larger urban Markets. It is the hope of every farmer from the state that, when fully implemented, the 2026 budget christened, “Budget of rural development, livelihood support and sustained growth”, will put the issue of poor road network to rest.
In the past, the product was often diverted to politicians and powers that be subjecting genuine farmers to buy from retailers instead of getting it directly from the Ministry of Agriculture. This too should be checked this time around
In the previous years, fertilizers distributed to farmers in Benue State were adulterated. It is our hope that with the revamping of the Benue fertilizer blending plant, the Star fertilizer, the issue of substandard fertilizer will be a thing of the past.
Also, in the past, the product was often diverted to politicians and powers that be subjecting genuine farmers to buy from retailers instead of getting it directly from the Ministry of Agriculture. This too should be checked this time around.
Year-in, year-out, late distribution often cause farmers to miss critical planting window, the delay usually starts from the launch of the inputs, mostly in the middle of the cropping season, which culminates to the time of supply. Distribution should be realigned with timely agricultural calendar in subsequent years.
To help farmers fight post-harvest losses, government should establish food processing industries across the state.
