By Israel Adamu,Jos
One Acre Fund Nigeria has officially commenced the distribution of agricultural inputs to 88,965 smallholder farmers across Niger, Nasarawa, and Plateau states as part of its 2026 farming season support programme.
The flag-off ceremonies, held simultaneously in the three states on Thursday, May 21, 2026, were attended by government officials, traditional rulers, farmer representatives, security agencies, and officials of the organisation.
According to the organisation, the exercise involves the distribution of 9,000 metric tonnes of quality agricultural inputs under its credit programme, which covers farmers in Niger, Nasarawa, Plateau, and Kwara states.
A state-by-state breakdown shows Niger State leading with 59,665 farmers, followed by Nasarawa State with 18,650, Kwara with 6,800, and Plateau State with 3,850 farmers.
In Niger State, the inputs will reach 23,100 farmers in Minna District, 16,995 in Lapai, and 19,570 in Bida District. In Nasarawa State, 9,600 farmers will benefit in Lafia District, 5,200 in Akwanga, and 3,850 in Keffi District.
Speaking at the event, One Acre Fund Nigeria Country Director, Adetola Adegbite, said the intervention was designed to tackle key challenges facing smallholder farmers, particularly limited access to affordable credit, high cost of inputs, and inefficient distribution systems.
Adegbite clarified that the inputs are not given as free subsidies but provided on credit, supported with flexible repayment terms, agronomic training, extension services, digital advisory, and community-based last-mile delivery.
“The integrated support model helps farmers overcome the burden of upfront payments while ensuring they receive quality inputs at the right time,” he said.
The organisation noted that participating farmers have consistently recorded improved yields through better seeds, fertilisers, training, and extension support.
As part of its youth-focused initiatives, One Acre Fund plans to reach 40,000 young people, including 28,000 young women, with training on Integrated Pest Management and Soil Health. Another 12,000 youths, including 8,500 young women, will benefit from High-Value Training programmes.
The organisation also announced plans to distribute 19.6 million tree seedlings to at least 700,000 farmers across its operational states as part of its climate-smart agriculture drive aimed at combating land degradation and building resilience to climate change.
One Acre Fund said it is scaling up operations to serve over 820,000 farmers across Bauchi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger, and Plateau states through its broader agricultural support programmes.
The Permanent Secretary of the Niger State Ministry of Agriculture, Matthew Ahmed, commended One Acre Fund for its eight years of consistent support to farmers in the state, particularly its input credit scheme and tree-planting initiative.
In Plateau State, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Hon. Samson Ishaku Bugama, and the Commissioner for Environment, Climate Change and Mineral Development, Hon. Peter Kanang Gwom, also lauded the organisation’s contributions to agricultural productivity and rural development.
The ceremonies featured presentations on soil health, tree planting, rural service delivery innovations, and community-based agricultural support systems.
One Acre Fund reaffirmed its commitment to expanding access to quality agricultural services for underserved farming communities in Nigeria.
