Agriculture remains the backbone of Zamfara State’s economy, accounting for the livelihood of more than 80 per cent of its people, Governor Dauda Lawal has said, as the state intensifies efforts to improve farm productivity and strengthen food security. Lawal made the remarks in Gusau while flagging off the Renewed Hope Seed Support Programme, implemented by the National Agricultural Seeds Council (NASC) in collaboration with the Zamfara State Government. The intervention comes as the state seeks to expand access to improved planting materials and support farmers at a time when food production remains closely tied to household incomes and the wider cost-of-living crisis.
The seed initiative is part of a broader national push to address Nigeria’s long-standing productivity and seed-access challenges. The Federal Government launched the Seeds for Renewed Hope Programme (S-RHP) in 2025 alongside a ₦50 billion Presidential Catalytic Seed Fund designed to strengthen seed production, improve access to certified and climate-resilient varieties, support local seed companies and address last-mile delivery to farmers. The programme targets a 10 per cent increase in the annual seed requirement for major crops between 2025 and 2027.
For Zamfara, the intervention is particularly significant because agriculture remains central to the state’s economic and social life, but farmers continue to face challenges ranging from insecurity and limited access to inputs to climate pressures and weak market infrastructure. The state government has recently stepped up its agricultural support, distributing 72,000 bags of fertiliser, 200,000 litres of herbicides, crop-residue crushers, grass choppers, feed mills and improved pasture seeds to farmers across all 14 local government areas. The government said the intervention is intended to move farmers from subsistence production towards more productive, mechanised and market-oriented agriculture.
The renewed emphasis on seeds is important because access to fertiliser alone cannot guarantee higher yields. Agricultural experts and seed-sector stakeholders have consistently identified quality seed as one of the foundations of productivity, while Nigeria continues to contend with low adoption of improved varieties. The National Agricultural Seeds Council has been pursuing digital certification and the release of improved, climate-resilient varieties, while the federal seed programme is intended to strengthen the entire chain from research and breeding to production and delivery to farmers. For Zamfara, where large numbers of households depend directly on farming, better planting materials could translate into higher yields and incomes if accompanied by adequate fertiliser, irrigation, extension services, security and access to markets.
The bigger test, however, will be implementation. Zamfara’s agricultural potential is substantial, but insecurity has historically forced farmers away from their fields and disrupted production, while poverty and limited access to finance continue to constrain rural households. The state government’s recent interventions show a growing emphasis on agriculture as a route to economic recovery, but their long-term impact will depend on whether farmers receive the promised inputs on time, whether they can safely cultivate their land and whether increased production can be connected to storage, processing and profitable markets. With more than 80 per cent of the population depending on agriculture, Zamfara’s agricultural revival is not simply a farming policy—it is central to the state’s fight against poverty, food insecurity and economic stagnation.