The Minister of Agriculture, Abubakar Kyari, has outlined the Federal Government’s determined efforts to put an end to the importation of wheat seeds within the next four to five years. He emphasized that this importation was significantly draining the country’s foreign reserves.
Addressing reporters after inspecting various seed wheat production initiatives in Kano on Friday, Kyari expressed his satisfaction with the crucial role of local production in the agricultural landscape.
“We are unwavering in our commitment to achieving extensive wheat production in the forthcoming dry season farming, catering to both local consumption and foreign export demands,” he asserted.
He further elaborated that President Bola Tinubu’s renewed agenda aimed at securing Nigeria’s food production capabilities. Jigawa State, in particular, demonstrated a strong interest in wheat farming by providing 40,000 hectares of land for wheat cultivation, nearing the 70,000 hectares designated by the Federal Government for this year.
A thorough evaluation of breeder and foundation seeds took place to ensure the phasing out of wheat imports ahead of next year’s irrigation farming season. Kyari pointed out that the continuous importation of wheat was depleting a substantial portion of Nigeria’s foreign reserves.
With the implementation of the outlined programs, the minister predicted that within the next four to five years, Nigeria would achieve complete self-sufficiency in wheat seeds, significantly bolstering both food production and food security in the nation.
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