The All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Kaduna State Chapter, has urged the Federal Government to distribute agricultural inputs early for dry-season farming to boost food security and farmers’ earnings.
The association’s chairman, Alhaji Nuhu Aminu, made the appeal in an interview in Zaria on Wednesday.
Aminu said timely distribution of inputs under the National Agricultural Growth Scheme and Agro-Pocket (NAGS-AP) would help farmers mitigate the effects of declining rainfall and the early cessation of rains during the 2026 wet season.
He said AFAN, in collaboration with NAGS-AP, planned to support 15,000 farmers across Kaduna State in dry-season rice and maize production.
Speaking on the impact of the dry spell, a farmer in Zaria, Malam Muawiya Nuhu, said prolonged intervals between rainfall had significantly affected crop yields in parts of the state.
Nuhu said rainfall had been less frequent this year than last year, with intervals of two to three weeks without rain. He added that the dry spells had affected crops requiring consistent soil moisture, particularly rice and maize.
He said late-planted rice, upland rice, maize, sorghum and beans were among the crops affected, warning that farmers in some communities might record lower yields than in the previous farming season.
According to him, the effects were more pronounced in Soba, Ikara, Makarfi and parts of Giwa Local Government Areas, while farmers in Igabi, Lere and Kauru experienced less severe effects.
Nuhu said although some farmers had received government support, the interventions often came after they had suffered considerable losses. He stressed that timely assistance was critical to improving productivity and reducing crop failures.
He urged policymakers to involve farmers and recognised associations such as AFAN in agricultural planning to ensure interventions addressed their needs and reached beneficiaries before planting seasons began.
The farmer also called for the provision of climate-resilient and early-maturing crop varieties to help farmers adapt to changing weather conditions and shorter periods of adequate rainfall.
He said improved seeds, fertilisers and other essential inputs should be distributed before planting, while agricultural extension services should be strengthened to provide farmers with timely weather information and appropriate farming advice.
Nuhu lamented the shortage of agricultural extension workers, noting that some officers covered two or three local government areas without adequate transportation and other equipment to reach farmers effectively.
He urged governments to recruit more extension personnel and engage experienced farmers to disseminate agricultural information. He added that stronger collaboration among farmers, researchers and policymakers would improve food production and rural livelihoods.
