FG to cultivate 70,000 hectres wheat farms in Jigawa – Minister
The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, says the Federal Government will cultivate 70,000 hectares wheat farms this dry season in Jigawa.
Kyari said this when he paid homage to the Emir of Hadejia, Alhaji Adamu Abubakar-Maje, on Thursday in Hadejia.
The Minister had conducted facility tour at Malam Alu Farm in Birnin Kudu Local Government Area and a 10 hectares rice farm at Marma, a farming community between Kirikasamma and Guri LGAs.
Kyari said that the tour was part of the ministry’s fact finding mission to appraise the preparedness of the Jigawa government and the selected demonstration farms for growing high breed wheat seeds.
He said the decision to start the demonstration farms in Jigawa was informed by Gov. Umar Namadi’s zeal and commitment towards making the state one of the leading wheat growers in the country.
The state, he said, allocated 70,000 hectares of land to the ministry for wheat cultivation, adding that President Bola Tinubu was commited to enhance food security through effective utilisation of smart agriculture in the country.
While interacting with farmers at Marma village, Kyari said the ministry would distribute improved variety seeds for irrigation activities to boost food security programme in the country.
He said the federal government had made adequate arrangements to equip wheat growers with the necessary farming implements.
He said the ministry had set up a climate change monitoring committee with the responsibility of providing experts assistance on wheather related issues to the growers from planting to harvesting period.
Responding, Abubajar-Maje, commended the federal government for choosing Jigawa as pioneer state of the wheat programme.
Represented by Alhaj Usman AbdulAziz, the Galadiman Hadejia, the Emir called for the commencement of the wheat season in earnest, adding that, “the time to start planning for growing wheat is now”.
The royal father admonished farmers selected for participation in the programme to reciprocate the gesture by being honest in their operations.
