The Federal Government has launched the nationwide distribution of Renewed Hope agricultural seeds to help farmers recover from crop losses caused by delayed rainfall and prolonged dry spells.
Agriculture Minister Senator Abubakar Kyari launched the programme in Jigawa State on Thursday. He said the intervention would help affected farmers use the remaining planting window.
According to Kyari, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu approved the programme as an emergency response to weather disruptions affecting farming communities across Nigeria.
Many farmers planted after early rains but later watched their crops fail when the rains stopped. As a result, they lost seeds, fertiliser, labour and valuable farming time.
“The rains came this season, and the rains held back,” Kyari said, explaining the impact on farmers.
He added that the Nigerian Meteorological Agency had warned that some states could experience dry spells lasting up to 21 days between June and August. The government says the warning largely materialised in several regions.
Under the programme, each participating state will receive 32 metric tonnes of certified cowpea seed, nine metric tonnes of groundnut seed and 8.35 metric tonnes of sesame seed.
The government has already deployed the seeds to Jigawa and other beneficiary states. About 5,000 smallholder farming households in Jigawa are expected to benefit during the first phase.
Kyari said officials selected cowpea, groundnut and sesame because the crops mature quickly. Therefore, farmers can still harvest them within the remaining rainfall period.
The Renewed Hope agricultural seeds are also expected to support Nigeria’s food security efforts. The minister said the National Agricultural Seed Council certified the seeds to protect farmers from poor-quality and counterfeit varieties.
Meanwhile, Jigawa State Governor Umar Namadi, represented by his deputy Aminu Usman Gumel, welcomed the intervention. He said it could reduce the damage caused by delayed rainfall. The All Farmers Association of Nigeria also backed the programme and urged beneficiaries to use the seeds effectively.
