NEDC Distributes 500 Bags of Fertiliser to Auto Technicians, Expands Food Security Drive Across Northeast

By Emmanuel Kwada

In a strategic effort to strengthen food security and improve livelihoods across the Northeast, the North East Development Commission (NEDC) has distributed 500 bags of 50kg NPK fertiliser to members of the Nigerian Automobile Technicians Association (NATA), encouraging them to complement their automotive trades with farming during the current cropping season.

The intervention forms part of the Commission’s agricultural support programme under the Agricultural Pillar of the North East Stabilisation and Development Master Plan, which seeks to boost food production, enhance household incomes, and build resilient communities across the region.

The fertiliser will benefit NATA members drawn from the six Northeast states, including automobile mechanics, tricycle repairers, and vulcanisers, many of whom also engage in farming to supplement their livelihoods.

Speaking during the distribution exercise in Yola, the Adamawa State Coordinator of the NEDC, Barr. Khalifa Muhammad Lawan, described the initiative as part of the Commission’s sustained commitment to improving the welfare of people in the region through targeted interventions.

He urged the leadership of the association to ensure transparency and fairness in distributing the fertiliser among members across the Northeast, stressing that the inputs should be put to productive use during the ongoing farming season.

Lawan reaffirmed the Commission’s determination to implement programmes that not only improve agricultural productivity but also promote economic resilience and sustainable development in communities recovering from years of conflict and socio-economic challenges.

“The Commission remains committed to interventions that enhance livelihoods, strengthen food security, and support sustainable development across the Northeast,” he said.

Receiving the fertiliser on behalf of the association, the Gombe Zonal Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Automobile Technicians Association, Engr. Ahmed Waziri Usman, expressed gratitude to the NEDC for extending the intervention to members of the association.

He commended the Commission for consistently investing in initiatives that positively impact communities across the region and assured that the fertiliser would be distributed fairly and used responsibly by beneficiaries.

According to him, the support will enable many members to cultivate their farms alongside their daily automotive businesses, helping to improve food production and cushion the impact of rising food costs.

The fertiliser distribution underscores the NEDC’s broader commitment to leveraging agriculture as a tool for economic recovery, poverty reduction, and long-term stability across the Northeast, while encouraging vocational workers to diversify their sources of income through farming.