Nigeria: FG plans to cultivate 70,000 hectares for wheat production – Minister

The Federal Government plans to cultivate about 70,000 hectares across the wheat producing states with an expected yield of 875,000 tonnes for the National Food Reserve.

The Hon. Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Abubakar Kyari said this was in an effort to enhance massive food production and nutrition security.

This is even as he revealed that the Federal Government would grant a 50 per cent subsidy to wheat farmers in the upcoming dry season, to enhance food security and self-sufficiency.

‘’We are fully committed to promoting substantial wheat production in the upcoming dry season farming for both local and foreign export activities,’’ he said.

According to a press release signed by Mrs Eremah Anthonia, the Chief Information Officer on behalf of the Director of Information in the Ministry, the Minister disclosed this during a courtesy visit to the Emir of Hadejia, Alhaji Adamu Abubakar-Maje, in Hadejia, Jigawa State recently.

He stated that 40 hectares would be allocated to Jigawa State, while the remaining 30 hectares would be shared among the wheat producing States.

According to him, President Bola Tinubu was committed to enhancing food security through effective utilization of Smart Agriculture.

The minister added that the Governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Umar Namadi was also committed towards making the State one of the leading wheat growers in the country.

The Emir of Hadejia, who was represented by the Galadima Hadejia, Alhaji Usman AbdulAziz, in his response, called for the commencement of the wheat season in earnest, noting that the time to start planning for growing wheat was now.

Tags: Production, wheat, yield, cultivate