Nigeria’s Agricultural Sector Poised for Transformation with Rainfed Wheat Production
The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Abubakar Kyari has said that the climate resilient rainfed wheat varieties would transform the agricultural sector through increased yield, reduced Importation cost, ensuring Food and Nutrition Security as well as strong financial returns for farmers.
The Minister stated this at the Second National Rainfed Wheat Farmers’ Field Day held in Kuru, Jos, Plateau State over the weekend.
Kyari stated that ‘’the development and successful cultivation of rainfed wheat in Kuru is nothing short of transformative. It means that wheat production is no longer confined to irrigated zones’’.
The Minister emphasized that ‘’Farmers in the highlands of Jos, Mambila and Obudu in Plateau, Taraba and Cross River States respectively can now grow wheat during the rainy season naturally, sustainably, and profitably.
This innovation opens the door to a future where Nigeria’s wheat demand can be met by our own farmers and grown on our own soil’’.
In a statement by Ezeaja Ikemefuna, the Ministry’s Head of Information, Kyari added that ‘’this milestone represents more than scientific advancement, it is a bold step toward achieving food and nutrition security for our great nation’’.
He commended the Lake Chad Research Institute (LCRI) for its groundbreaking achievement in developing these rainfed wheat varieties, describing it as a true testament to Nigeria’s ingenuity and scientific excellence
The Minister reaffirmed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to prioritizing agriculture in Nigeria’s economic transformation and national security strategy.
According to him, the President believes that a nation’s true sovereignty hinges on its ability to feed itself, employ its youth, and generate prosperity from the land. Consequently, agriculture has been elevated to a presidential priority, focusing on driving food security, economic diversification, and inclusive growth.
He pointed out that ‘’the Federal Government is implementing a comprehensive agricultural renewal plan anchored on mechanization, input access, credit expansion, post-harvest management, and strategic partnerships to unlock productivity across value chains’’.
Kyari stated that ‘’through strategic partnerships with development agencies, private-sector investors, and state governments, we are scaling up rainfed wheat cultivation from pilot fields like this into hundreds of thousands of hectares nationwide, ensuring farmers have access to certified seeds, modern mechanization services, and reliable market linkages, making wheat production profitable and sustainable’’.
He outlined the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda for the agricultural sector, which comprises key initiatives such as the Renewed Hope Mechanization Initiative, with over 2,000 tractors and combined harvesters deployed nationwide in the first phase; Affordable financing and innovative services for farmers and agribusinesses; Recapitalization of the Bank of Agriculture (BoA) and operationalization of the National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF) to ensure sustainable financing for agricultural investments, value-chain infrastructure, innovation, and rural enterprise development.
While appealing to partners, development agencies, private sector actors, and state governments, the Minister said, ‘’I invite you to join us in scaling up this success. Together, we can build agro-industrial value chains that create jobs, reduce imports, boost national income and reduce the importation of billions of naira worth of wheat annually, to becoming self-sufficient and ultimately, exporters of quality Nigerian wheat’’.
