Kaduna Begins IT-Based Fertilizer Redemption in 69 Centres

From Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

The Kaduna State Government has commenced the distribution of free fertilizer to smallholder farmers for the 2026 wet season, with the exercise already underway in eight local government areas and all 69 redemption centres expected to be fully operational by Monday morning.

During an on-the-spot assessment at the Gadan Gayan Redemption Centre in Igabi Local Government Area, the Kaduna State Commissioner for Agriculture, Hon. Murtala Dabo, said the exercise marked the “D-Day” for farmers who had been profiled and notified to collect their inputs.

“We started with Rigachikun, where we saw the full redemption process run smoothly, and the same was the case at the Birnin Yero Redemption Centre. Here in Gadan Gayan, which is the third centre in Igabi, they are just offloading the goods. Tomorrow morning, they will be up and running,” Dabo stated.

He explained that fertilizer had been distributed to all warehouses across the 23 local government areas, with security personnel and CropIT officials already stationed at the centres.

“All have been deployed. Fertilizer is in all the warehouses. Security and IT personnel, including CropIT personnel, are in place. Tomorrow morning, all 69 redemption centres will be operational,” he said.

The commissioner described the process as seamless and technology-driven, saying it was designed to ensure transparency. Each beneficiary receives a text message directing them to a specific redemption centre to collect two bags of fertilizer provided by Governor Uba Sani for the 2026 wet season.

“When they come with their text messages, it will be verified, we will take a photograph of them, and then give them the fertilizer,” Dabo said.

The exercise commenced on Sunday in eight LGAs, including Kaduna North, Kaduna South, Zaria, Soba, Kachia, Chikun and Ikara, to allow the system to stabilise before the full statewide rollout.

Dabo urged beneficiaries to take the fertilizer directly to their farms to boost productivity and food security.

“My advice is that they should take this fertilizer to their farms because the aim is to provide direct support from His Excellency the Governor to help boost their productivity. Ultimately, this will lead to increased productivity, better livelihoods and improved food security in the state and the nation at large,” he said.

He also issued a stern warning against diversion.

“We said it is not for sale. If we find any farmer selling, we will arrest them and prosecute them. The buyers should go to the market and buy too. These are for smallholder farmers,” he said.

Also speaking, the Kaduna State Commissioner for Information, Hon. Ahmed Maiyaki, highlighted the administration’s increased investment in agriculture.

He said when Governor Sani assumed office, the agricultural budget was about N1.4 billion, representing less than one per cent of the state’s budget. According to him, the allocation rose to N24 billion in 2024, over N74 billion in 2025 and more than N100 billion in 2026, representing 11.6 per cent of the state’s budget.

“This aligns with the Malabo Declaration global standard for agricultural funding, from less than one per cent to 11.6 per cent in Kaduna State. This underscores the importance he attaches to agriculture,” Maiyaki said.

He noted that improved security had enabled farmers to return to their farms, with more than 500,000 hectares of farmland recovered.

“The best way to support farmers who have been away from the farm for eight or nine years is to provide inputs. His Excellency has distributed 400 trucks of fertilizer in 2024, 500 trucks in 2025 and 500 trucks again in 2026. In 2026, we are supporting 150,000 smallholder farmers,” he said.

Beyond fertilizer, Maiyaki added that the governor had provided tractors, solar-powered boreholes and pumping machines to support both rainy- and dry-season farming.

“Agriculture accounts for over 60 per cent of the population and over 42 per cent of Kaduna State’s GDP. That is why agriculture deserves every support, and the governor has demonstrated this,” he said.

Kamal Priyadarshi of CropIT, part of the StarAgri Group, which manages the IT and warehousing systems, explained the redemption process.

“The farmers have received a message with a coupon code. We scan it and validate whether it is a genuine farmer. We are not accepting any forwarded message. Once validated, we take a photograph, validate the documents and hand over the product. The entire process does not take more than two to three minutes,” he said.

Priyadarshi confirmed that CropIT was active in 70 centres and assured that 65 centres would be fully operational by Monday. On network challenges, he said the team had experience operating in rural areas and would address any issues that might arise.

Beneficiaries expressed gratitude for the intervention. Abdulhamid Muhammad from Dandami, Birnin Yero Ward, said:

“First, we thank Almighty God for bringing us to this moment where His Excellency the Governor has given us a gift of fertilizer. May God reward him with goodness. I planted maize, and I needed it; it arrived at the exact time. Praise be to God, I am grateful.”

The Chairman of Igabi Local Government Area, Sani Abdul, also appreciated the governor, noting that about 80 per cent of Igabi residents depend on farming.

He said that, unlike in previous years when fertilizer was sold at subsidised rates, the current intervention provides the commodity free of charge to beneficiaries.

Commissioner Dabo said officials would continue monitoring all the centres to ensure that only genuine farmers benefit from the programme.

“We are here following up with all the redemption centres to make sure that only genuine farmers receive this support from the Kaduna State Government,” he concluded.

The distribution is expected to be completed within the next two months across the 69 centres, with three centres located in each of the 23 local government areas.