The Federal Government has distributed free 50kg bags of fertiliser to at least 500 farmers in Ikorodu Federal Constituency, Lagos State, as part of efforts to strengthen food production and support smallholder farmers.
The fertiliser distribution, held on Saturday at the iCare Foundation office in Ikorodu, was facilitated through the National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF) under the Renewed Hope agricultural initiative.
Beneficiaries were selected from the six Local Government Areas and Local Council Development Areas that make up the Ikorodu Federal Constituency.
Speaking during the exercise, Director-General of the iCare Foundation, Deen Sanwoola, who represented the constituency’s lawmaker, Babajimi Benson, said the initiative reflected the commitment to ensuring federal intervention programmes directly benefit people at the grassroots.
He described agriculture as a key driver of food security and economic growth, noting that investing in farmers would improve livelihoods, increase food production and stimulate local economic activities.
According to him, the fertiliser distribution goes beyond empowerment, as it represents an investment in the nation’s food security and future.
Sanwoola added that Benson remained committed to extending the benefits of the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda to residents of the constituency, stressing that supporting farmers ultimately benefits families, businesses and communities.
He encouraged beneficiaries to apply the fertiliser effectively to improve crop yields and boost household income, explaining that the programme was introduced to cushion the impact of rising farming costs and promote sustainable agriculture.
Several beneficiaries described the intervention as timely, citing the increasing cost of fertiliser as a major challenge facing farmers.
One of the recipients, Adewale Ojo, thanked President Bola Tinubu and Rep. Benson for making the support available to farmers in Ikorodu, saying the assistance would help improve harvests despite the high cost of agricultural inputs.
Another beneficiary, Vivian Adewole, praised the lawmaker for consistently connecting constituents with opportunities in areas such as education, healthcare, youth empowerment, food support and agriculture.
She said initiatives like the fertiliser distribution had strengthened public confidence in the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
The beneficiaries also applauded the transparent and orderly distribution process, noting that genuine farmers were selected for the programme. They pledged to make good use of the fertiliser to increase food production and contribute to agricultural development across the constituency.