Abaji Declares War on Food Shortage, Rolls Out Fertilizer for Farmers
By Sadiq Abubakar, Abuja
In a bold move to tackle food scarcity and empower local farmers, Abaji Area Council has declared war on food shortage with the rollout of fertilizers and agrochemicals to rural farmers across the council.
Chairman of the council, Hon. Abubakar Umar Abdullahi, flagged off the distribution exercise on Thursday, signaling what many see as a major intervention to boost food production and cushion the impact of soaring farming costs.
The initiative is expected to strengthen agricultural output, improve farmers’ yields, and enhance food security across Abaji and the wider Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Speaking at the council secretariat during the flag-off ceremony, Abdullahi, represented by the Speaker of the legislative arm, Hon. Abdullahi Baba Yahaya, described agriculture as the heartbeat of Abaji’s economy and the lifeline of thousands of families.
He said his administration remains committed to ensuring farmers get the support needed to drive economic growth and sustain food production.
According to him, access to fertilizers and other critical farm inputs is essential to achieving food security, economic prosperity, and sustainable development.
The council boss stressed that the intervention was designed to ease the financial burden on farmers and encourage expanded cultivation during the ongoing farming season.
He, however, issued a strong warning to beneficiaries, declaring that the distributed inputs must not be diverted or sold.
“These items are not for sale. They are meant to improve farm yields and increase food production in our communities,” he said.
He warned that anyone caught selling or diverting the farm inputs would be frustrating the purpose of the intervention and denying genuine farmers the benefits of the scheme.
Abdullahi urged farmers to put the inputs to maximum use to guarantee a bumper harvest, noting that increased production would translate into food availability, higher household incomes, more jobs, and a stronger local economy.
Highlighting Abaji’s vast fertile land, he encouraged farmers—especially youths and women—to seize the opportunity and expand cultivation.
“Let us cultivate more land, increase production, and contribute meaningfully to food security in Abaji, the FCT, and Nigeria as a whole,” he said.
The chairman also addressed the prolonged blackout affecting the area, assuring residents that the council is intensifying efforts to restore electricity.
He disclosed that the council is engaging the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) and other key stakeholders to end the power outage.
Acknowledging the hardship caused by the blackout, Abdullahi assured residents and businesses that urgent steps are being taken to restore electricity as quickly as possible.
