By; SANI ALIYU, Zaria
The Federal Government has flagged off the distribution of 1,035 metric tonnes of wheat seedlings and input as part of the efforts to reduce the cost of production and strengthen food security in the country.
Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Mohammed Abubakar disclosed this while flagging off the distribution of the seeds and input to wheat farmers in Kaduna, Katsina and Kano states, held at the National Agricultural Council of Nigeria (NASC) office on Thursday in Zaria.
The minister was represented by Alhaji Musa Mohammed of the Federal Department of Agriculture, Kaduna Field Office.
He said Kaduna State received 350 bags of 100kg seeds, while Kano and Katsina states received 500 bags of 100kg seeds each.
Earlier, Mr Naphthali Telta, Desk Officer, Wheat Production and Value Chain, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development said the wheat would be accompanied with seed planters, moisture and PH meters.
He said other input are growth enhancers, sprayers and organic fertilizer and pesticides.
He noted that one of the critical challenges of wheat production is the high cost of production which has placed Nigerian wheat in a disadvantageous position when compared to those imported.
Telta said the federal government decided to reduce the cost of wheat production so that Nigeria can favourably compete with those imported, hence the distribution of free seeds and inputs.
The desk officer said the government distributed Atila variety of the seed which was the variety which the Nigerian farmers are more conversant with and the millers were up-taking such variety.
Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Alhaji Bashir Tanko, Chairman Association of Wheat Farmers, Kaduna State, expressed gratitude to the federal government for the distribution of the seeds.
The chairman pledged efficient utilization of the seeds and input, stressing that additional 350 wheat farmers different from the beneficiaries of the Central Bank Wheat Anchor Borrowers’ Scheme would benefit from the initiative.
He promised that the ministry would not waste the seeds.
“This is money given to them, if they waste it, they do it to themselves and for them to be fair to themselves, they will plant it.
“Since a farmer needs 100kg seeds per hectare, we will distribute the seeds to 350 farmers,’’ he said.
