Dry Season Farming: Jigawa Targets 120,000 Hectares For Wheat Production

Jigawa State is set to expand its wheat production in 2024 with the aim to cultivate up to 120,000 hectares of wheat during the dry season.

The target surpassed the 55,000 hectares the state planted last year.

The state governor, Umar Namadi disclosed the plans when he spoke to Journalists at the 2nd West and Central Africa Wheat Summit in Abuja.

The governor outlined the state’s significant progress in wheat farming, driven by key partnerships and increased farmer participation.

In 2023, the state planted 55,000 hectares of wheat with 50 per cent  subsidy support by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security while the state government covered an additional 75 per cent of the remaining costs for farmers, leaving them to pay 25 per cent for input materials.

According to the governor, this incentive drove increased participation among farmers and has led to promising results, both in yield and pricing.

He stated that for the upcoming season, the state planned to scale up its efforts to between 110,000 and 120,000 hectares.

Governor Namadi highlighted new collaborations with  the federal government which include expanding the state’s wheat cultivation capacity by an additional 10,000 hectares.

The governor also addressed concerns over seed supply and pointed to efforts to bolster local seed production.

He said, “In Jigawa State, the collaboration between the African Development Bank and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture has been key. Out of the 120,000 hectares allocated to Nigeria, 40,000 hectares were assigned to Jigawa. We embraced the challenge, and with an additional 5,000 hectares, we cultivated a total of 45,000 hectares.

“Our farmers, who couldn’t join the program, managed to cultivate another 10,000 hectares.

Overall, we had 55,000 hectares for wheat production. With federal government support, providing a 50 per cent subsidy, Jigawa State stepped in to cover 75 per cent of the remaining cost, leaving farmers to pay only 25 per cent  for their inputs”.

“This year, we’re aiming to cultivate between 110,000 and 120,000 hectares. The Flour Mill of Nigeria imported seeds from Mexico last season, and we’ve managed to stock some.

Additionally, we’ve initiated local seed production using our youth, which is a lucrative venture since seeds sell at a premium. Our goal is to be self-sufficient, eliminating the need to import seeds in the future”, he explained.