By Adedapo Adesanya
Some farm inputs like seeds, pumping machines, generators, fertilisers, pesticides and herbicides have been distributed to select wheat farmers in Jigawa State by the National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA).
This is part of the efforts of the federal government to reduce Nigeria’s dependence on wheat imports with the commencement of dry season cultivation to produce 10,000 metric tonnes of the commodity.
The Executive Secretary of NALDA, Mr Paul Ikonne, was quoted as saying in a statement that the agency kicked off the pilot phase of the dry season wheat farming in Jigawa State because of the soil texture of the state which he described as suitable for wheat production.
He said the 100 hectares wheat farm in Marke town, Kaugama Local Government Area of Jigawa was donated by the state government and would engage 300 youths.
Mr Ikonne, who visited the project site, said the NALDA would also train the Jigawa wheat farmers, supervise and support them all through the farming period and take off products from the farm to ensure availability of market for the products.
“The wheat production is in nine states with 2,500 hectares of land donated by state governments in which Jigawa is one of them. The 2,500 hectares of land will give 10,000 metric tonnes of wheat,” he stated.
He said, “This 100 hectares of land donated by the state government would take 300 farmers. NALDA would be providing them with the seeds, pumping machines, pesticides and herbicides.
“And at the end of the day, NALDA would do the off-taking. So it is purely an out-growers project that NALDA has brought to Jigawa State.”
On his part, the Jigawa State Governor, Mr Mohammed Abubakar, was quoted in the statement as saying the state would render all the needed assistance required by NALDA to execute the project.
Modupe Gbadeyanka