FG set to cultivate 70,000 hectares for Wheat production

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ABUJA – The Federal Government has declared that it will grow 70,000 hectares across the country’s wheat-producing zones, yielding an estimated 875,000 metric tonnes for the National Food Reserve.

Senator Abubakar Kyari, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, disclosed this on Friday in Abuja during a media briefing on the way forward for Nigerian agriculture in delivering on President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

Kyari stated that the dry season wheat production would begin in November 2023 as part of the African Development Bank-funded National Agricultural Growth Scheme and Agro Pocket (NAGS-AP) programs.

He stated that the blending of appropriate fertilizers to support this year’s dry season farming, as well as providing Train-the-Trainer for extension agents involved in dry season farming in collaboration with wheat-producing States and other partners such as flour mills, would begin in earnest under this scheme.

The minister also revealed that plans for dry season cultivation of rice, maize, and other horticulture crops were well underway, with preparations ramping up for the next dry season beginning next month.

Kyari stated that the certification of available planting materials for some food security crops in preparation for dry-season farming has commenced as part of the preparations for dry-season farming.

He also stated that his Ministry would host the National Agriculture and Food Security Summit in November 2023 to bring all stakeholders together for the development of a National Action Plan for Food Security with an implementation and sustainability strategy, and that the National Council for Agriculture and Food Security (NCAFS) would meet in Cross River State the same month to develop a strategic operational plan for Federal-State-Local Government joint implementation.

He stated that the Ministry’s mandate and operations would be in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda’s four priorities, which include food security, economic growth and job creation, poverty eradication and inclusivity for youth and women, and the creation of an enabling environment for individuals, groups, and the private sector to participate in governance and economic activities.

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Kyari stated that President Tinubu has displayed total political will to improve Nigeria’s Agriculture and Food Security by not only renaming the ministry the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, but also making Food Security the number one presidential priority on his agenda.

Kyari stated that the Ministry would make “significant investment in animals feed-crop, fodder and pasture production as an antidote to farmers and herders clashes by focusing on the development of paddocks, foliage and fodder estates equipped with necessary facilities for all year round production;”

“Fortifying agriculture and food security institutions and repositioning them for future challenges;

“Reform the National Agricultural Research System so that it can act as a growth engine for new solutions to critical value chains, boost productivity-yields of our food security and export crops, livestock, and fisheries;

“Establish two new national gene bank facilities, one for crop and one for animal, to conserve our rapidly dwindling genetic resources for food security.”

“Fast-track the National Agricultural Development Fund’s launch and activities;

“Create a National Framework to ensure proper coordination and alignment of all current and future development partners’ projects with our national priorities.”

“Create innovative communication, monitoring, evaluation, learning, and accountability platforms that ensure continuous interface among all critical stakeholders to ensure 24-hour engagement and field reporting.” ICT technologies will be implemented to support these platforms in order to facilitate large-scale e-extension services.

“Develop a Strategy for Stakeholder Engagement and Communication in Agriculture and Food Security;

“Develop a new strategy for strengthening agricultural infrastructure and providing assistance to our new farm types (to be unveiled by the end of the year);”

“Prepare a Joint Action Plan with the Federal Ministry of Water Resources to unlock the huge irrigation potentials of the River Basins Development Authorities and other flood plains in the country to guarantee all year round food production, among others.”

However, the minister stated that the current status of food security is jeopardized by challenges such as food supply, accessibility, cost, and climate change.

“The underlying challenges noted above call for innovative and trending solutions,” he says, “which are better understood when we recount the challenges of insecurity, youth unemployment, and our increasing population, as well as attendant competition for the same prime agricultural land for mass housing schemes and other competing developmental projects.”

“By 2050, Nigeria is expected to have 400 million people, which is just around the corner.”

“All these challenges require not just a change in tactics and approach but injection of new knowledge, innovations, skills, techniques, technology and value orientation.”


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