Inaugurates Wheat Cultivation, Targets 1.25 Million Tonnes Yield
The Federal Government on Saturday inaugurated the National Wheat Cultivation scheme in Auyo Local Government Area of Jigawa, targeting 1,250,000 tonnes of yields.
This was disclosed by Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari at the inauguration of the 2023 dry season wheat development project under the National Agricultural Growth Scheme (NAGS-AP) in Auyo.
The scheme is designed to cultivate about 100,000 hectares during dry season of which Jigawa is supporting the project with 40,000 hectares.
The minister said that dry season farming had offered unique opportunity to harness the untapped potentials of land and diversify Nigeria’s food production capabilities.
“Indeed, its importance cannot be overstated, as it allows us to overcome seasonal limitations and meet the demands of our growing population while also bolstering our economy.
“The dry season farming is an integral part of the National Agricultural Growth Scheme and AgroPocket (NAGS-AP) Project, made possible by a US loan facility.
The facility is advanced to Nigeria by the African Development Bank (AfDB) and encapsulates this administration’s resolve to expand the capacity of farmers to engage in the cultivation of key staples like rice, maize, cassava and wheat across the country,” he said.
The minister said that the aim was to increase crop yield by at least 20 per cent, compared to the previous year.
“These high value staples will be joined by others like soybeans and sorghum in the wet season.
The minister said that in wheat alone they had targeted to support between 150,000 and 250,000 farmers with 50 per cent input subsidy.
He said that the farmers were expected to cultivate between 200,000 and 250,000 hectares with an expected yield of 1,250,000 tonnes.
“Other selected staples are earmarked for similar, varied support, all aimed at significantly reducing food inflation, as well as Nigeria’s dependence on foreign import, while increasing domestic consumption.
“Ultimately, this will promote agricultural self-sufficiency and stimulate economic growth,” Kyari said.
He said that the Federal Government was committed towards ensuring that the support got to the farmers, to achieve the desired goals.
We will invest more in farm infrastructure, all with a view to enabling our farmers to maximise their agricultural output and overcome the limitations imposed by the elements.
Earlier, Gov. Umar Namadi of Jigawa, said that the state was the heart of wheat production in Nigeria with potential to provide up to 200,000 hectares for wheat production.
“In particular, the rich expanse of Hadejia Valley is also well known for its rich alluvial sandy loam and clay soils.
NAN/Oyenike Oyeniyi
