The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security has initiated the 2023/24 dry season farming aimed at elevating production levels and fortifying national food security.
Minister Abubakar Kyari unveiled the irrigation project in Gashua, Yobe state, emphasizing its alignment with President Bola Tinubu’s food security emergency declaration. This initiative falls under the Agricultural Growth Scheme and Agro Pocket (NAGS-AP) project, targeting 200,000 to 250,000 hectares of arable land in the Kumadugu/Yobe and Wachakal River Basins, including the Nguru wetlands, to yield an estimated 1.25 million tons of wheat.
The federal government has subsidized farm inputs like fertilizers, seeds, and pesticides by 50% to support farmers. Each participating farmer will receive seven bags of NPK and liquid fertilizers, two bags of improved wheat seeds, and pesticide quantities proportional to their irrigated land for wheat cultivation.
Furthermore, the minister highlighted the establishment of monitoring teams in wheat-producing states to oversee activities from land preparation to harvest.
Isa Mai Unguwa, representing farmers, expressed concern about not benefiting from government-subsidized farm inputs despite annually producing 3,000 bags of rice.
