The Federal Government of Nigeria through the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security has said a total of 118,657 hectares were redeemed out of the targeted 123,000 hectares representing 96.47% as of Dec. 21, 2023, under the 2023/2024 National Wheat Development Programme of the National Agricultural Growth Scheme and Agro Pocket (NAGS-AP).
NAGS-AP wheat development programme will improve wheat production in fifteen states across the country, FG added.
Specifically, Mr. Ishaku Buba, the National Project Coordinator for NAGS-AP, disclosed this while presenting his welcome address at the ongoing Stakeholders Review and preparatory meeting today, in Nasarawa state.
According to him, based on an average yield of four metric tonnes per hectare, FG has set a target of achieving around 472,000 metric tonnes of wheat production by the end of the dry season wheat farming program in Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Kebbi, Katsina, Niger, Plateau, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, and Zamfara.
Buba stated that the 2023/2024 dry season initiative, carried out through the National Agricultural Growth Scheme and Agro Pocket (NAGS-AP) project, centred around four primary crops: wheat, rice, maize, and cassava.
He noted that the program was initiated with a focus on wheat production in the 15 states known for wheat cultivation.
His words: “The implementation under the 2023/2024 dry season programme was then designed to be carried out in two phases (i.e. wheat value chain from Nov. 15, 2023, to Dec.15, 2023).
“ It will later be extended to Dec. 20, 2023, for Jigawa and Borno while rice, maize and cassava value chains were slated for January – February.”
“A total of 118,657 hectares were redeemed out of the 123,000 hectares targeted representing 96.47% achieved as of Dec. 21, 2023.
“We expect that at the end of the implementation period of the wheat production programme, an estimated 472,000 metric tonnes of wheat product at an average yield of 4 metric tons per hectare would be realised.”
He further explained that the choice to commence with wheat production was driven by the time-sensitive nature of the crop, particularly its fixed or pre-determined planting window.
Meanwhile, the event which has in attendance various agricultural stakeholders has been scheduled to hold between 11th-13th January, 2024.
