Nigeria targets 150,000 hectares for wheat cultivation

75,000 wheat farmers organised in farmers’ groups with two hectares of farmland developed by each group, with the potentials to yield 5 to 6 tonnes of wheat per hectare, are targeted for production under the 2015/16 wheat farming season.Speaking during the wheat farmers’ field day organised in collaboration with the International Centre for Agricultural Research […]

75,000 wheat farmers organised in farmers’ groups with two hectares of farmland developed by each group, with the potentials to yield 5 to 6 tonnes of wheat per hectare, are targeted for production under the 2015/16 wheat farming season.
Speaking during the wheat farmers’ field day organised in collaboration with the International Centre for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) in Gombe, Olabanji said wheat production in Nigeria has witnessed some setbacks.
He said that the programme was also aimed to encourage women groups to embrace wheat farming, assuring farmers that the wheat they produced would be bought.
Speaking at the occasion, Gombe State Commissioner for Agriculture Dahiru Buba Biri who was represented by the Programme Manager, Ishaku Ngale, said the state government was ready to invest in wheat production, adding that it was also ready to collaborate with Lake Chad Research Institute to boost wheat farming.
“Our major problems in wheat farming in this area is the delay in getting the seeds, non-availability of fertiliser and pumping machines,” said Jummai Amos, wheat farmer from Akko Local Government Area.
Hassana Boyi, called on the government to ensure that it provides the implements needed to motivate wheat farmers or else the programme will remain only on papers.
Bulus Sarki from Balanga Local Government Area said government has provided them with fertiliser, lamenting the delay in the arrival of seeds.
He said: “Government should ensure that it buys the product in order to encourage farmers to venture into wheat farming. We have realized that wheat farming is very easy and call on the government to make sure that it brings the seeds on time.