Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, has flagged off the Abia State Farmers’ Support Programme, unveiling a major agricultural intervention that will empower more than 18,000 farmers across the state’s 17 local government areas with improved farm inputs, free transportation and a data-driven distribution system.
The development was disclosed in a statement issued on Friday, July 10, 2026, by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Ctz. Ukoha Njoku Ukoha, following the flag-off ceremony held at the Umuahia Township Stadium.
Speaking at the event, Governor Otti said the programme forms part of his administration’s commitment to transforming agriculture into a key driver of food security, job creation and economic prosperity in Abia State.
He explained that the distribution of farm inputs followed a comprehensive farmers’ registration and verification exercise designed to ensure transparency and guarantee that only genuine farmers benefit from government interventions.
“We started with data gathering because we wanted to map every farmer to a farm. We now have a comprehensive database of our farmers. If we cannot identify you, we won’t be able to support you,” Otti said.
The governor encouraged farmers who are yet to register to take advantage of the ongoing exercise to qualify for future government support.
He stressed that although the government would continue supporting smallholder farmers, its agricultural policy is focused on promoting commercial farming capable of driving large-scale production and economic growth.
“We believe strongly that subsistence farming may not take us too far. While we are not disinterested in subsistence farming, we are aggressively promoting commercial agriculture because agriculture is a veritable business,” he stated.
Governor Otti also announced that the state government had made transportation arrangements to ensure beneficiaries convey their farm inputs to their farms at no additional cost, describing farmers as critical partners in the state’s development agenda.
The governor further revealed that the favourable investment climate created by his administration has continued to attract major investors into Abia’s agricultural sector, disclosing that a multinational palm oil company has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the state government to invest up to 200 million US dollars.
According to him, the investment is expected to boost food production, create employment opportunities, reduce poverty and position Abia as a major agricultural hub.
Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr. Cliff Agbaeze, disclosed that 18,634 verified farmers would benefit from the programme through the distribution of improved varieties of cassava, rice, maize, plantain, sweet potatoes, pepper, tomato and organic fertilisers.
“For the flag-off day, the target is 3,312 farmers, while the remaining 15,322 farmers will receive their inputs through their various LGAs,” Agbaeze said.
He explained that only farmers captured in the state’s database and properly authenticated with evidence of farmland qualified for the programme, adding that the Abia State Government had fully paid for all the agricultural inputs and would also provide transportation for beneficiaries.
Delivering the keynote address, the Executive Director of the National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI), Umudike, Prof. Chiedozie Egesi, described the initiative as proof that agriculture has once again become a priority in Abia’s development agenda.
“Permit me to begin by sincerely appreciating His Excellency, Dr. Alex Otti for his visionary, purposeful and people-centred leadership.
“Within a relatively short period, Abia State has undergone a remarkable transformation across infrastructure, governance, security, ease of doing business and public service delivery. Confidence has returned to the people.
“When leadership is purposeful, development follows. When government creates an enabling environment, businesses grow. And when farmers are empowered, the entire economy prospers.
“So, Your Excellency, sir, history will remember that your administration understands that the wealth of Abia State does not lie in our cities and industries alone, but also in our fertile lands,” Egesi stated.
Also speaking, the Vice-Chancellor of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Prof. Ursula Ngozi Akanwa, commended Governor Otti for prioritising agriculture and urged beneficiaries to maximise the opportunity provided by the programme.
“By providing farmers with critical agricultural inputs, the State government is making a strategic investment in increasing productivity, improved livelihood and sustainable agricultural growth.
“Agriculture remains the bedrock of our nation’s economy, and the most reliable, I repeat, the most reliable pathway to ensuring food sufficiency and reducing poverty,” she said.
The event was attended by senior government officials, agricultural stakeholders and farmers from across the state.
