Kaduna Reclaims 500,000 Hectares As Farmers Return To Farms

Kaduna State Government says more than 500,000 hectares of farmland previously abandoned because of insecurity have been recovered over the past three years, allowing farmers to return to their fields.

The Commissioner for Information and Culture, Ahmed Maiyaki, disclosed this in Kaduna, attributing the development to improved security and a combination of military operations, community-based security measures and early-warning systems.

Maiyaki said the security situation had previously become so serious that bandits exercised control over some rural communities, imposed taxes, influenced farming activities and demanded payments from residents.

According to him, the government’s approach has involved traditional rulers, religious leaders, youth organisations and other community stakeholders in identifying and preventing threats before they develop into major conflicts.

He said 75 potential threats were detected between 2023 and early 2026, with 70 successfully addressed, helping to prevent possible communal or religious clashes.

The improved security has also been linked to increased government investment in agriculture. Maiyaki said the state’s allocation to the sector rose from about N1.4bn in 2023 to more than N100bn in 2026.

Part of the increased funding has supported free fertiliser distribution and other assistance for farmers. The commissioner said maize yields had increased from about three bags per hectare to as much as 22 bags per hectare in some areas.

Road construction and rehabilitation have also formed part of the strategy. The government said roads across 12 local government areas have improved access to farms and markets, reduced post-harvest losses and made it easier for security agencies to respond to emergencies.

The state has also reported improvements in other sectors, including education and healthcare. Maiyaki said the number of out-of-school children had fallen from 550,000 to 187,000, while 205 primary healthcare centres had been upgraded.

The development comes as Kaduna continues to rely on both security operations and community engagement to restore economic activities in areas previously affected by banditry. The government says the return of farmers to more than 500,000 hectares represents one of the clearest signs that agricultural activity is recovering across parts of the state.

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