Nigeria is capable of exporting wheat with the nation’s current and deliberate plan to attain self sufficiency.
Governor of Jigawa State, Umar Namadi disclosed this after briefing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on some developmental issues in the state as well as appreciate the President for allocating 40,000 hectares of land in the state to the National Wheat Development Programme.
Governor Namadi also disclosed that his administration is targeting two million tonnes of wheat in both the National Wheat Development Programme and the state’s programme in order to attain food sufficiency as well as export.
He further said that President Bola Tinubu has given support to the state’s efforts and has assured of full support to ensure their projections become a reality.
The Nigerian Government had in November 2023, flagged off the dry season programme in Jigawa, allocating 100,000 hectares to wheat farming in the country, with Jigawa state alone allocated 40,000 hectares for the programme.
Namadi said President Tinubu assured him that he was ready to give the state all the support required to his government to achieve the set goals, saying “whatever we need, we should tell him and he’s ready to support us.”
Asked about the difference Jigawa State could make in wheat production for Nigeria, he said: “We are number one in wheat in Nigeria. So, the issue is we have already made a difference because we are number one. And then today like I told you out of 120,000 hectares for Nigeria, Jigawa State alone is given 40,000 hectares and that shows that we are making a difference.”
On whether Nigeria could attain wheat sufficiency in Nigeria, he said: “Certainly, we will. In Jigawa State, we have a FADAMA land of over 400,000 hectares. So, that is only FADAMA land that we can cultivate both in rainy and dry season.”
On the possibility of exporting the wheat, Namadi said: “Certainly, we are going to export wheat over time We’re doing the first one, and then after this one, we’re going for rice, and the next one, we’re going to wheat, that’s how the cycle will continue to go. Definitely, we’re going to have food sufficiency and we’ll definitely have surplus to export.”
Speaking on the projection about the number of tonnes of wheat to expect from Jigawa State, the governor states that “The issue is what we’re doing now, the minimum we’re expecting is about four tonnes per hectare. Now four tonnes per hectare and we’re doing 40,000 hectares. in fact, this 40,000 are the ones which we have received support from the federal government. We are doing more than that. We can have about 50,000 hectares going on of people that are doing it on their own.
“So, at least with the essential services we have provided and with all the support we have provided for land clearing, especially for harrowing that we have supported the farmers, that has given them an opportunity to cultivate more. Somebody who was doing one hectare now is ready to do more hectares because of the support he has from the federal government and from the support he has from the state government, multiply that by 40,000 hectares, official one, we are doing plus about 10,000 hectares. We are doing, plus minimum of four tonnes per hectare, some people are making 6 tonnes per hectare, but we are taking just the minimum, so definitely, I think the future is very bright.”
Olusola Akintonde
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