Jigawa wheat farmers hopeful as state gov’t offers 75% subsidy

For many years, the major problems facing wheat cultivation in many of the wheat-growing states have been accessibility to subsidised farm inputs and agricultural financing, among other things. The governor of Jigawa State, Umar Namadi, recently declared that local wheat farmers will benefit from a sizable subsidy scheme that was started by the state government. […]

For many years, the major problems facing wheat cultivation in many of the wheat-growing states have been accessibility to subsidised farm inputs and agricultural financing, among other things.

The governor of Jigawa State, Umar Namadi, recently declared that local wheat farmers will benefit from a sizable subsidy scheme that was started by the state government.

The subsidy will cover 75% of all expenses related to agricultural inputs.

This effort, according to Namadi, aims to support Nigeria’s food sufficiency and increase wheat output.

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He further explained that Jigawa State received 40,000 hectares from the 120,000 hectares allocated under the cooperation agreement between the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and the African Development Bank (AfDB).

A further 5,000 hectares have been planted as a consequence of further cooperation with the Flour Milling Association of Nigeria, and 10,000 hectares produced by individuals who did not benefit from the state government’s subsidy scheme, increasing the state’s total wheat agricultural area to 55,000 hectares.

“In addition, we also had another engagement with the Flour Milling Association of Nigeria, and we have done another engagement of 5,000 hectares. That will give us 45,000 hectares here. And those who are not able to get themselves into this programme, they cultivated about 10,000 hectares,” he stated.

Looking to the future, the governor expressed the ambition to scale up production to 100,000 hectares, stating that, “We are aiming at 100,000 hectares this year, and we hope that we will be able to meet this target.”

He added that the state government plans to double its engagement with the Flour Milling Association to increase the land dedicated to wheat cultivation.

However, the state Chairman of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Engineer Auwal Ibrahim Birnin Kudu, revealed that changes in weather patterns have necessitated the need for climate-smart wheat seeds.

According to him, many farmers rely on traditional farming methods and are resistant to adopting modern techniques and as such stand to lose a lot.

The state chairman advised government to invest in rural road networks and storage facilities to enhance market access and reduce post-harvest losses.

He also called for the establishment of microfinance institutions to cater specifically to farmers, offering low-interest loans and flexible repayment options.

He advocated the promotion of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices and providing training on pest and disease identification and management, encouraging the use of drought-resistant wheat varieties, and promoting irrigation practices to mitigate the impact of climate change.

A wheat farmer in Warwade Dam, Dutse LGA, Muhammad Sunusi Dutse, who is using modern technology, says the government needs to do more for farmers, especially those at the grassroots.

According to him, most of the interventions that the government is doing don’t go to the real place, rather they usually go to the people who will only sell whatever they were given and spend the money on other things.

The farmer also revealed that it is unfortunate that real farmers are not being engaged in the dissemination of new research findings to farmers, adding that the role of traditional leaders in agriculture will definitely go a long way in ensuring the acceptability of every initiative brought forward for better agricultural practices in the state.

One of the problems that also needs to be tackled is the lack of access to agricultural extension services, which has been identified as another strong impediment to the smooth operation of wheat production, especially in Jigawa State.

With more support, wheat farmers in the state are still hopeful this season because they received a reasonable intervention from the state government in the 2024/2025 wheat season.