Over 160 metric tons of wheat is expected to be cultivated by farmers in Nigeria in comparison to just 90 metric tons cultivated last year.
Dr Ladan Suleiman, Head of Veterinary and Pest Control Services of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture Niger State office said this during the symbolic distribution of the heat resistant variety seeds for the 2022/23 dry season farming.
“Government in the Country in collaboration with the African Development Bank (ADB) have planned to encourage farmers towards the production of wheat ,hence achieving bumper harvest and food sufficiency in the Country,” Dr Ladan stated.
He said the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) anchored borrowers program, has imported about 13 thousand metric tons variety of heat resistant wheat seeds aimed at improving the production of wheat by 18 percent in Nigeria.
“The lake Chad Research institute, in conjunction with other institutes and private organizations in Nigeria, like the Olam , has budgeted over 300 Million US Dollars towards the production of the high yielding,heat tolerant Wheat varieties seeds to be distributed to farmers for massive transformation into wheat production across the Country.”
The Chairman of the Niger State Chapter of the wheat Farmers Association, Ambassador, Dr Nura Hashim while commending the government’s support initiative on wheat farming said Niger was among 12 other selected state for the pilot project.
He urged the state to mobilise it’s members to actively participate to achieve a bumper harvest despite insecurity challenges in parts of the state.
“Challenges of insecurity has really affected our cultivation last farming season which made us to to shift from the banditry prone areas to a more secured environment where our farmers can conviniently carry out their farming activities.”
He said over 140 hecters of land in Gbako, Katcha and Lemu areas along Bida axis of Niger State have been earmarked for the 2022/23 Dry season Wheat Cultivation.
“Niger,Kogi,Kwarai,Nasarawa,Venue in North Central Nigeria and Oyo State in South West Nigeria ,have been selected for trial plots for the dry season Wheat Farming.”
Inadequate Seeds And Fertilizers
Dr Hashim has however lamented on inadequate seeds and fertilizers for farmers as the most critical input affecting wheat production in the state and the Country as a whole.
A female Wheat farmer, Hajia Zuwaira Isa Ajiya, Niger State North Central Nigeria stated this after explaining that she cultivates up to 10 to 15 hectares of wheat as she appreciated the Nigerian government wheat farming supports scheme.
The female wheat farmer was among over 280 wheat farmers that benefited from the recent distribution of the climate resielient wheat variety seeds to be cultivated on 140 hecters of land in Gbako and Lemu areas of Niger State.
Hajia Ajiya however laments low women participation in Wheat farming as she advised the government of Nigeria to encourage women in wheat farming by offering them grants and loans.
“Women participation in wheat farming in the state will go along way in exploring the dry season farming and expanding the capacity of the Country in boosting Wheat production,“she said.
She urged the government on the need to distribute more of the improved variety seeds to wheat farmers across the country to achieve government aim of boosting wheat production in the Country.
Lateefah Ibrahim
