Nigerian government to help wheat farmers with subsidies
The Federal Government has pledged to support about 250,000 wheat farmers with a 50 per cent input subsidy to cultivate about 250,000 hectares during this year’s dry season.
The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, disclosed this during the flag-off of the 2023/2024 dry session farming under the National Agricultural Growth Scheme and Agro-pocket Project at Kadume Village, Hadejia Local Government Area, Jigawa State, on Saturday.
He said the FG’s support for the wheat farmers is expected to produce over 1.2 million tonnes of wheat during the farming session.
“The dry season farming is an integral part of the National Agricultural Growth Scheme and AgroPocket Project, made possible by a $134 million loan facility advanced to Nigeria by the African Development Bank (AfDB),” he said.
According to him, the present administration under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu, had resolved to expand the capacity of farmers to engage in the cultivation of key staples like rice, maize, cassava and wheat, across the country.
“The aim is to increase crop yield by at least 20 per cent compared to the previous year. These high-value staples will be joined by others like soybeans and sorghum in the wet season.
“Other selected staples are earmarked for similar, varied support, all aimed at significantly reducing food inflation, as well as Nigeria’s dependence on foreign import while increasing domestic consumption,” the minister said.
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