AfDB agric policies’ll ensure food security, job creation – Wheat farmers 

The Wheat Farmers Association of Nigeria (WFAN) has hailed the implementation of the National Agricultural Growth Scheme and Agro-Pocket Wheat Input Package for Dry Season Farming (NAGSAWIPDF) in Nigeria designed by African Development Bank (AfDB) as a boost for food and job creation in Nigeria. 

Chairman, Wheat Farmers Association of Nigeria Kaduna state chapter, Malam Bashir Tanko, who made the remarks in Kaduna Sunday told journalists that the federal government of Nigeria through the Federal Ministry of Agriculture has taken a bold step with the two programmes, adding that the two policies will help boost food security, job creation and improve economic status of wheat farmers across the country.

Tanko said wheat farmers in Kaduna state alone cultivated up to 35,000 hectares of land and produced over 300 tonnes of wheat in the 2022/ 2023 dry season farming. He added that with its unquantifiable support, the commitment of the association towards revitalisation of wheat farming cannot be overemphasised.

He urged the national president, Wheat Farmers Association of Nigeria, Alhaji Musa Shehu Sheka, to sustain his good work with the Minister of Agriculture, Alhaji Abubakar Kyari, for sustainable wheat production in Nigeria.

Tanko said though the Kaduna state branch has fulfilled all the necessary requirements and sent a list of prospective wheat farmers to the national office of Wheat Farmers Association of Nigeria for 2023/2024 wheat input package under GS fertiliser programme, but nothing has been done.

“It was learnt that 80% of the beneficiaries of the scheme are not wheat farmers. The input went to the politicians, family, friends and business associates. 

“If this negative trend continues, it will create uncertainty in the future of wheat farming in Kaduna state. Despite this observed problem, the association will continue mobilising wheat farmers to sustain production with the little input they have at hand, while we urge the Federal Ministry of Agriculture to consider Wheat Farmers Association in handling distribution of the input for the survival and improvement of wheat production in Kaduna state and across Nigeria.”