Farmers in Gombe State are frustrated and confused about the whereabouts of 2,000 tonnes of fertilizer donated by the federal government.
The state governor, Inuwa Yahaya, had announced that the fertilizer would be distributed to farmers for free, but farmers claim they haven’t received it.
Ayuba Ali, a farmer from Billiri local government, expressed his disappointment, saying, “The fertilizer would have empowered peasant farmers to boost food production and increase farmers’ income if distributed.”
Umar Hamisu, another farmer, lamented that the 2024 season was the worst for him due to the economic situation and inflation, making it impossible for him to afford farming inputs.
“We heard that President Tinubu has donated fertilizers for distribution to farmers in the state free of charge, but we did not see anything in our villages,” he said.
Female farmers Esther Bitrus and Sarah Yakubu also shared their concerns.
Esther mentioned that fertilizer was sold to farmers at N25,000, but she didn’t receive or hear of anyone getting the federal government’s donation.
Sarah questioned why Gombe farmers shouldn’t receive the free fertilizer when farmers in Kano and Nasarawa States did.
However, Dr. Barnabas Malle, commissioner of agriculture, countered that the fertilizers were distributed through cooperative societies and monitored by security agents.
He clarified that the fertilizers sold were not the federal government’s donation but rather those procured by Governor Inuwa Yahaya at a subsidized price of N22,000 per bag.
The farmers are appealing to the state government to distribute the free fertilizers to enable those involved in dry season farming to use them.
This issue highlights the challenges faced by farmers in Gombe State and the need for effective communication and distribution of resources.