Food Security: 88,000 farmers receive inputs for 2026 rainy season farming across North-Central
One Acre Fund Nigeria, A non-governmental organisation has commenced the 2026 distribution of agricultural inputs to 88,000 smallholder farmers across Nasarawa, Niger, Kwara and Plateau states to boost food production during the rainy season.
One Acre Fund Nigeria, A non-governmental organisation has commenced the 2026 distribution of agricultural inputs to 88,000 smallholder farmers across Nasarawa, Niger, Kwara and Plateau states to boost food production during the rainy season.
BusinessDay reports that this intervention is expected to contribute significantly to improving food security in Nigeria by boosting agricultural productivity among smallholder farmers, who produce a large share of the country’s food supply.
The organisation flagged off the exercise on Friday at Abioga community in Obi Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, with beneficiaries receiving fertilisers, improved seeds and protective farming equipment.
One Acre Fund Nigeria is a social enterprise that supports smallholder farmers through access to quality farm inputs, financing, training and other farmer-focused services aimed at improving productivity and strengthening rural livelihoods.
Speaking during the flag-off ceremony, Zainab Haruna, the Trees Lead for One Acre Fund Nigeria said the initiative was designed to help farmers improve their yields during the 2026 farming season.
Haruna explained that the beneficiaries were farmers enrolled in the organisation’s credit programme for the season, which enabled them to access farm inputs and other support services.
According to her, the intervention was necessary because many rural farmers lacked both the resources and technical knowledge required to maximise productivity.
“They also lacked the training that is required for them. What we are doing is bridging that gap effectively by ensuring that we provide these facilities to farmers.
“So, rather than farmers waiting until they have all of the money to purchase their inputs, they can use a small amount to enroll in the programme, access the inputs, and then over the course of the next five to six months, they are then able to slowly pay back their loan,” she said.
Haruna added that the repayment structure was designed to help farmers sustain their agricultural activities without disrupting their livelihoods.
“It ensures that they are able to continue running their farming enterprise. They have access to the training because we also make sure that all our farmers are trained, and that way we ensure that their yield for the season is verified and they are able to get their yield for the season,” she added.
Also speaking, Kazi Nanyah, the Communications Specialist for One Acre Fund Nigeria disclosed that the organisation was distributing about 9,000 metric tonnes of agricultural inputs on credit to participating farmers in the four states.
Nanyah said the intervention sought to address major challenges confronting smallholder farmers, including limited access to agricultural finance, rising input costs and weak distribution systems in rural communities.
“As Nigeria enters the 2026 planting season, the country’s food system continues to face structural constraints, including rising input costs, limited access to agricultural finance, and persistent inefficiencies in distribution at the community level.
“For millions of smallholder farmers who produce the bulk of Nigeria’s food, these constraints directly translate into lower productivity and heightened vulnerability.
“It is against this backdrop that One Acre Fund Nigeria has commenced the distribution of 9,000 tonnes of agricultural inputs to 88,000 farmers across Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger, and Plateau states.
“While modest relative to national demand, the intervention provides a practical case study in addressing systemic bottlenecks that have long constrained smallholder productivity,” Nanyah stated.
The event attracted government officials, development partners, traditional rulers, security agencies, farmer representatives and the leadership of One Acre Fund Nigeria, with discussions centred on innovations in agricultural service delivery, soil health management, tree planting and building resilience among farmers.
