Nigeria: Tinubu to add 1.2 mln metric tones of wheat to National Food Reserve

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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration is committed to adding over 1.2 million metric tonnes of wheat to the national food reserve by the end of the 2023/2024 dry season.

This initiative aims to reduce the country’s reliance on foreign wheat imports.

Senator Abubakar Kyari, the Minister for Agriculture and Food Security, announced this development during the launch of the 2023/2024 national wheat production policy in Kadume village, Hadejia local government, Jigawa state, yesterday (Saturday).

The initiative targets cultivating over 100,000 hectares this year to minimize dependence on imported wheat.

Senator Kyari indicated that more than 250,000 farmers will benefit from the federal government’s support to achieve a production output of over 1,250,000 metric tonnes nationwide.

The program’s launch, a crucial step in implementing the federal government’s food security policy, will focus on 100,000 hectares under the 2023/2024 national dry season wheat production policy.

A specialized package offering a 50 percent subsidy has been designed for registered farmers and their clusters.

“The registered farmers will be given free seeds while other inputs will be sold to them at 50 percent subsidy, aims at enhancing their capabilities to implement the program.

“Under the Federal Government policy we want improve our crops yields by 20 percent this year, with Wheat outputs targeted at 400,000, to 500,000 tones. Equally we will gradually continue to improve our irrigation facilities to diversify crops production for achieving food security, Jobs creation, growth and development “.

The Minister praised the commitment shown by Jigawa State government and its farmers, underscoring the state’s significant role as a reliable partner in realizing federal government objectives related to food security, job creation, and poverty eradication.

In his speech, Jigawa State Governor, Malam Umar Namadi, urged the federal government to expedite the completion of the Hadejia Valley Irrigation Project, offering an irritable area of over 25,000 hectares.

He highlighted its potential to substantially contribute to President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, emphasizing that the project’s completion would be historical.

Governor Namadi further emphasised that the project, initiated during the Late Shagari Administration in the 1980s, is still less than 25% completed after almost four decades.

He noted the recent commissioning of a segment covering approximately 6,000 hectares by former President Muhammad Buhari earlier this year.

He further aligned the Wheat Development Program with President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, echoing its alignment with the State’s 12-Point Agenda for Greater Jigawa. The program focuses on food security, economic diversification, job creation, sustainable livelihoods, and poverty reduction.