Jigawa targets 2m tonnes of local wheat to boost economy

Business a.m

The Jigawa State government says it plans to produce two million tonnes of wheat for export and agricultural self-sufficiency through the National Wheat Development Programme and the state’s wheat programme.

Umar Namadi, governor of Nigeria’s largest wheat producing state, expressed confidence that the country possessed the capacity to export wheat under the initiative which was aimed at attaining self-reliance.

According to the governor, after closed-door talks with President Bola Tinubu at the Aso Rock Villa in Abuja, the president expressed support for the state’s initiative and pledged the federal government’s backing to help make the forecasts a reality.

The federal government’s dry season programme, which was launched in Jigawa State in November 2023, is aimed at supporting wheat cultivation across the country. Jigawa State has been allocated 40,000 hectares of the 100,000 hectares of land designated for the programme.

Governor Namadi expresed President Tinubu’s willingness to provide the state government with whatever assistance it needs to achieve its goals.

“He (President Tinubu) said that we should tell him what we require and he is prepared to assist us,” Namadi stated.

Namadi, in response to a question of whether Nigeria could achieve self-sufficiency in wheat production, stated confidently that it was possible, particularly in Jigawa State. He cited the state’s FADAMA land, an irrigable lowland that covers over 400,000 hectares and can be used for both rainfed and dry season farming. He also mentioned the possibility of exporting rice and other cash crops, such as wheat, to generate revenue for the state and the country.

Namadi said his administration was targeting a minimum yield of four tonnes per hectare of wheat, annually. The governor emphasised that the matter of wheat harvests is closely related to the state’s current practices. He explained that, at a minimum, the state anticipates harvesting four tonnes per hectare of wheat, and that they have already achieved this rate on 40,000 hectares of land. 

He added, “Indeed, the 40,000 are the ones the federal government has assisted. We are exceeding those actions. We can have approximately 50,000 hectares under the independent cultivation of individuals.

“Therefore, at the very least, we have assisted the farmers by providing essential services and support for land clearance, particularly harrowing; this has enabled them to cultivate an even greater area.”