By Dele Ogbodo
The Federal Government has secured a loan facility of $134m from the African Development Bank (AfDB) to help farmers boost seeds and grain production in the country.
The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Abubakar Kyari, disclosed this while flagging off the 2024/2025 National Dry Season Farming Calabar, along with the Governor of Cross River State Bassey Otu, represented by the Deputy, Peter Odey, in Calabar, recently.
He explained that with the reintroduction of the national dry season farming to boost year-round agricultural production, the loan would be handy and guarantee national food security in the country.
The minister said the initiative is under the National Agricultural Growth Support Scheme-Agro Pocket (NAGS-AP) Project.
He noted that the federal government had declared an emergency on food production to enable all Nigerians to get easy access to quality and nutritional food at affordable rates.
He revealed that government wants to use the agricultural sector for national economic revival through increase in production of some staple food crops such as wheat, rice, maize, sorghum, soybean, and cassava during both dry and wet season farming.
Kyari disclosed that 107,429 wheat farmers have been supported under phase 1 of the 2023/2024 dry season, 43,997 rice farmers under the second phase of the 2023/2024 dry season and recently 192,095 rice, maize, sorghum/millet, soyabean and cassava farmers under the 2024 wet season across the 37 States including FCT.
He noted that Cross River is leading 16 other states in wheat production, adding that over 3000 wheat farmers have been listed to benefit from the support to grow the grain.
The minister recognized the Cross River government’s commitment to wheat production, saying it informed why the federal government was partnering with the state to kick start the maiden wheat production and enlisting them among states commencing from this current 2024/2025 dry season farming.
“For the 2024/2025 dry season farming, the project is targeted to support 250,000 wheat farmers across the wheat-producing states with subsidized agricultural inputs to cultivate about 250,000 hectares with an expected output of about 750,000 metric tons of wheat to be added to the food reserve to reduce dependence on importation of the product and also increase domestic consumption.
“Equally the program will provide support to 150,000 rice farmers under the second phase to cover all the 37 states, including FCT, with an expected output of about 450,000 metric tons.”
In his remarks, the Executive Governor of Cross River State, Bassey Otu said they have a deliberate agriculture policy to bolster food availability, assuring of the state’s support and cooperation for the initiative, especially as she is listed as a foremost wheat farming state.
“This will further propel us to intensify more efforts at producing more grains and seeds for food availability.
The National Project Coordinator, NAGS-AP, Mr. Buba Ishaku pointed out that the project would be implemented in two phases and support farmers with quality seeds as well as grains.
In attendance were critical stakeholders, International Development Partners, State Commissioners of Agriculture, and States Permanent Secretaries, amongst others.
The highlight of the event was the flagging off the 2024/2025 National Dry Season Farming by the Hon. Ministers.