The National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF) has commenced the first phase of its Onion Intervention Programme in Sokoto State, targeting 600 onion farmers and covering 300 hectares of farmland across the state. The programme was flagged off on Sunday by the Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of NADF, Muhammad Abdul Ibrahim, who was represented by the agency’s Assistant General Secretary, Muazu Ibrahim.

Speaking at the event, Ibrahim explained that the intervention was designed to help farmers recover from losses caused by flooding and climate-related shocks, restore production capacity, and strengthen resilience within the onion value chain. He noted that onion farmers in Sokoto, Kebbi, Yobe, and Borno states were among the worst affected by recent flooding, which disrupted livelihoods, local markets, and the national food supply.

“The onion value chain is strategic to rural livelihoods and food security. This intervention is a deliberate step to ensure affected farmers return to their farms without delay,” Ibrahim said.

According to him, the programme is being implemented in collaboration with state governments and other stakeholders. He added that it commenced with the distribution of critical farm inputs and aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Ibrahim assured beneficiaries that the exercise would be guided by transparency, accountability, and equity, adding that all distributed inputs had been properly verified to reach genuine farmers.

The President of the National Onion Producers, Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria (NOPPMAN), Isa Aliyu, described the intervention as timely, noting that it would help farmers rebound from the combined effects of flooding and poor-quality seeds experienced during the 2024 farming season.

Aliyu disclosed that 600 farmers in Sokoto State would benefit from the programme, cultivating 300 hectares of land, with each farmer allocated 0.5 hectares. He commended the Sokoto State Government for providing logistics, security, and an enabling environment that ensured the smooth take-off of the initiative.

The Permanent Secretary of the Sokoto State Ministry of Agriculture, Almustapha Alkali, said the relief inputs would significantly boost onion production in the 2025/2026 farming season if properly utilised. He added that the state government’s recent flag-off of a modern onion storage facility would help reduce post-harvest losses, preserve produce, and enhance farmers’ incomes.

The ceremony marked the beginning of the Onion Intervention Programme in Sokoto, with stakeholders expressing optimism that the initiative would revive the state’s onion subsector and contribute to national food security.