FG increasing food basket with 15,560MT of wheat

The Federal Government on Sunday disclosed that it had procured agro inputs and seeds for wheat production that would increase the country’s food basket by 15,560 metric tonnes of wheat.

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Sabo Nanono, who disclosed this at the National Wheat Stakeholders Workshop in Kano State, also stated that through the wheat value chain the FMARD had put in place measures to increase wheat production and reduce its import bill.

On procurements made by the ministry, Nanono said, “The ministry procured 30MT of breeder seeds which will translate to 1,650MT of foundation seeds; 50MT of foundation seeds which will also translate to 2,500MT of certified seeds.

“It also procured 326MT of certified wheat seeds which will give 11,410MT of grains in the 2020/2021 season. This effort is expected to result to the addition of 15,560MT of wheat to the national food basket.”

The minister, who was represented by the Director, Federal Department of Agriculture, Karima Babangida, stated that the transformation of wheat production would be achievable by the adoption of new farming technologies and synergy among stakeholders.

He said this would reduce importation, enhance food security, alleviate poverty, create jobs and conserve the country’s scarce foreign exchange, according to a statement issued by an official, Ezeaja Ikemefuna, of the FMARD in Abuja on Sunday.

Nanono further stated that there had been other interventions by the Central Bank of Nigeria, Flour Milling Association of Nigeria and Transformation for Africa Agricultural Technologies Wheat Compact project to transform Nigeria’s wheat sector and boost local production.

He observed that the country’s urban populace consumption pattern was greatly in favour of wheat and its derivatives such as pasta, noodles, flour, biscuits, baby foods and confectionary.

This, he said, had resulted in a major gap between the production of wheat and its national consumption, as well as widening import bills.