The federal government through the National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF) is providing support worth N1.6 billion input package to ginger farmers in three states as well as the Federal Capital Territory, the Executive Secretary, Mohammed Abu Ibrahim has said.
Addressing the launch of Ginger Blight Epidemic Control Taskforce support initiative supported by the office of the Vice President in Kaduna on Wednesday, Ibrahim said the input support is under the Ginger Recovery Advancement and Transformation for Economic Empowerment (GRATE) package.
According to him, 15,000 ginger farmers from Kaduna, Plateau, Nasarawa states and the Federal Capital Territory were affected by the recent ginger blight epidemic in the country, adding that it is in response to the epidemic crisis that the task force was set up.
He said the National Bureau for Statistics (NBS) reports that revenue from ginger export increased by 17% to hit N10 billion in Q2 of 2023 compared to N4.6bn over the same period in 2022.
“The Federal Government through the NADF is providing support valued at N1.6 billion starting out with 1 ha input packs appropriately named the GRATE package, which is the Ginger Recovery Advancement and Transformation for Economic Empowerment. The recent ginger blight epidemic, while affecting an estimated 15,000 farmers across Kaduna, Plateau, Nasarawa states, and the FCT, came at a time our country had started to see considerable growth in ginger exports.
“The support package to be given to the Governor contains 1pc 20kg bag of high-yield seed variety, 4pcs 50kg bags of NPK fertilizer, 2pcs 50kg bags of urea, 2pcs 1kg bag of fungicide. Others are 1pc 1 litre of insecticide, 2pcs 1 litre of herbicide, 1pc 2 litre of post-emergence herbicide. The team is eager to see ginger being grated in rural communities again in the immediate term,” he said.
The Technical Assistant on Agriculture office of the Vice President, Maryam Mo, said the presidency is taking the issue of agriculture and ginger farming very seriously as part of the government’s renewed agenda program.
According to her, many countries, including Mexico, are busy trying to grow Nigerian Ginger because it’s one of the best in the world. She urged farmers to increase ginger production in the country.
Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna state represented by the Deputy Governor, Dr. Hadiza Sabuwa Balarabe commended the Federal Government for it’s support to the affected farmers in the state.
He described the state ginger as one of the best in the world urging the farmers to be more dedicated to their farming business.
