The Federal Government has revealed plans to target of 1.2 million tonnes of wheat production for the 2023/2024 dry season farming.
The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, who disclosed this while flagging off the 2023/2024 dry season farming in Jigawa maintained that with the declaration of State of Emergency in Nigeria’s Food Security on 13th of July, 2023, the President is expecting visible changes in the sector.
According to him, the $134 million loan facility advanced to Nigeria by the African Development Bank (AfDB) will help to expand the capacity of farmers to engage in the cultivation of key staples like rice, maize, cassava and wheat, across the country.
Kyari said the aim is to increase crop yield by at least 20 per cent compared to the previous year, joining high-value staples with others like soybeans and sorghum in the wet season.
The minister said between 150,000 to 250,000 farmers with 50% input subsidy will be registered to cultivate between 200,000 to 250,000 hectares and an expected yield of 1,250,000 tonnes of wheat.
