Small Holder Farmers’ Initiative to Support 17,000 Abia Farmers with Improved Input

Seventeen farmers from across the 17 Local Government Areas of Abia State will receive support with improved farm inputs through the Small Holder Farmers’ Initiative of the State government.

The Initiative, organised by the State government through the Ministry of Agriculture in collaboration with the African Union Development Agency- New Partnership for African Development (AUDA-NEPAD), is aimed at supporting and strengthening small holder farmers for food sufficiency.

Speaking during a radio programme monitored by The Eagle News, Commissioner for Agriculture, Cliff Agbaeze, said the benefitting farmers have already been captured in the database developed by the Ministry of Agriculture.

He disclosed that the initiative would be launched on Thursday August 21, 2025 by Governor Alex Otti.

The Commissioner noted that the database would be reviewed continuously to accommodate more farmers.

He said that the state government will, in September this year, organize another intervention programme for small holder farmers that also targets another 17,000 genuine farmers.

Agbaeze appreciated the Governor for attracting many developments in the State and for paying the counterparts funding for the programme.

He highlighted the strategic government plan in supporting Agriculture from the small holders’ level, medium, large scale and mechanized, which is all geared towards making Agriculture sustainable in the state.

Contributing, the State Coordinator of the African Union Development Agency- New Partnership for African Development (AUDA-NEPAD), Mrs. Catherine Osondu said the main essence of the initiative is to address the challenges of small holder farmers.