The Federal Government has pledged to reduce the country’s import food bill by embarking on massive production of both rain-fed and irrigated wheat across the country.
According to the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, the saved bill on wheat imports can boost food security and employment in the six geo-political zones.
Speaking at the second National Rain-fed Wheat Farmers (NRWF) in Kuru-Jos, Plateau State, the Minister said: “The farmers’ production of wheat is no longer limited to dry-season irrigation, but during the rainy season, particularly in states that have comparative advantages in wheat farming.”
Citing all-round season wheat-production states, Kyari stated, “the adoption of rain-fed wheat production in the country has enabled farmers in Jos, Mambila, and the Obudu plateaus to massively grow and harvest their wheat during the rainy season that lasts between the months of June and October of every year.”
He noted that all season wheat farming is not only an income generation, but sustainable in boosting food security and youths employment. The Minister added that wheat farmers will remarkably complement the supply of tonnes of raw materials to the Flour Mills and Beverage industry of the country. He said the innovations in wheat farming have provided various opportunities in the agricultural sector, where the country’s wheat demands can be met through the all-round season wheat production.
Additionally, he commended the Lake Chad Research Institute (LCRI) for developing new varieties of wheat. He noted that the Institute’s seeds of wheat are adaptable to the climate change and soils in the Chad Basin.
The Minister, therefore, called on researchers, farming communities, and the development partners to join forces in scaling up rain-fed wheat farming. He also pledged that the Federal Government is committed to the procurements and distribution of certified seeds, Tractors Hiring Services (TRHS), and the buying of farm produce at the Commodity Exchange Markets (CEXM).
“Every planted seed of the Nigerian wheat is a step towards national dignity,” said Kyari, noting that it is a significant move that Nigeria can feed its citizens, and stand firmed among the comity of nations across the globe.
