Otti Cuts Off ‘Fake’ Farmers, Empowers 18,000 Genuine Farmers in Abia

Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, has declared that “ghost,” “fake,” and “portfolio” farmers will no longer benefit from government agricultural interventions in the state.

The Governor said the government has eliminated non-farmers from the system by developing a comprehensive database of genuine farmers.

Otti made the declaration on Friday, June 10, 2026, at the Umuahia Township Stadium during the flag-off of the Farmers’ Input Support Programme, an initiative aimed at boosting agricultural productivity, enhancing food security, and improving the livelihoods of farmers across the state.

The event, themed “Improved Inputs, Increased Yields, Sustainable Prosperity for Farmers,” saw over 18,000 farmers empowered with improved varieties of inputs including cassava, rice, maize, plantain, sweet potato, pepper, and tomato seedlings. Other items distributed were organic fertilizers fortified with pest control materials, herbicides, and NPK fertilizers, all expected to increase yields and drive sustainable growth in the sector.

According to the Governor, beneficiaries were strictly verified before selection.

“We started with data gathering because we wanted to map every farmer to a farm,” Otti said.

“Sometimes you see people come out and say they are farmers and you cannot locate their farms. That is impossible in Abia today because we did the first things first.

“We have a comprehensive database of all of you. If we cannot identify you, we will not be able to support you. For those who have not registered, go and register and prove that you have a farm.”

Otti said government is supporting subsistence farmers to transit to commercial farming, which he described as the “bedrock” of his administration’s agricultural policy.

“Subsistence farming may not take us too far,” he said. “While we are not disinterested in subsistence farming, we are aggressively promoting commercial agriculture.”

The Governor noted that the enabling environment in the state has attracted big investors.

“Because of the enabling environment we have created, we have seen big-time farmers and multinationals showing interest. Most of you would have heard about a multinational palm oil producer that signed an MoU with us with an intention to invest up to $200 million in the state.

“With this kind of investment, we can guarantee food security not only in our state, but in Nigeria, other parts of Africa, and the global community, because agriculture is a veritable business.”

Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr. Cliff Agbaeze, said 18,634 genuine Abia farmers have been registered to receive inputs free of charge.

He explained that 3,312 farmers received their inputs at the stadium, while the remaining 15,322 would get theirs through their respective local government Mayors.

“To benefit, you must be captured on our database after being properly authenticated as a genuine farmer with evidence of a farmland that will be geo-tagged,” Agbaeze said.

He assured that all beneficiaries would be followed up with training and extension services by the Ministry in collaboration with experts from other institutions and agencies,  to ensure inputs get to the right destination, achieve the desired impact, and eliminate the incidence of ghost or portfolio farmers.

In his keynote address, the Executive Director, National Root Crops Research Institute, Umudike, Prof. Chiedozie Egesi, described the farm inputs distribution as a declaration that agriculture has been accorded priority in the state’s development agenda because her “wealth” does not lie in the cities and industries alone, but also in the fertile lands.”

Agriculture, he noted, remains the foundation for Nigeria’s future and that Abia occupies a strategic place as a great agricultural powerhouse in the South East and Nigeria

He assured that the Institute was ready to partner with the state in improving agricultural production, stressing that “when farmers are empowered, the entire economy prospers.”

Vice Chancellor of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike,  Prof. Ursula Ngozi Akanwa, in her goodwill message, said the initiative demonstrates a clear commitment to agricultural transformation for rural prosperity and economic development and represents “a strategic investment in increasing productivity.”

“Agriculture remains the bedrock of our nation’s economy and the most reliable pathway to ensuring food sufficiency and reducing poverty,” Prof. Akanwa stated.

The event drew members of the farming community, agricultural stakeholders, development partners, traditional rulers, community leaders, and other residents who thronged the stadium to benefit from or witness the distribution.

The programme was described as a significant milestone in the ongoing transformation of Abia State’s agricultural sector.