FG empowers 400 wheat farmers in Gombe
No fewer than 400 wheat farmers will benefit from Federal Government’s intervention in Agriculture value chain in Gombe State.
Confirming the effort of the current administration, Executive Secretary of National Agricultural and Land Development Authority (NALDA), Paul Ikonne noted that over six million metric tons of wheat is consumed yearly.
Ikonne made this revelation on Monday at the ground breaking ceremony of 2021 dry season wheat farming in Dogon-ruwa, Kaltungo, that stressing that the country consumes more than it produces.
According to him, about 200 hectares of land provided by the state would employ 400 youths in Dogon-ruwa and Nafada localities, as part of Government’s effort to support dry season farming.
He explained that NALDA’s intervention cuts across donation of seedlings, pesticides, herbicides, pumping machine, stressing that this would boost food security, increase economic prosperity.
Ikonne said, “President Muhammadu Buhari has mandated NALDA to achieve food security and provide job opportunities for our teeming youth through the agricultural value chain.
“Today, we are here to do the ground breaking ceremony of Wheat production in Gombe State. Nigeria as a country is in dare need of wheat production. Our import value is more than what we produce and we are consuming more than what we produce in terms of wheat. That makes wheat production very lucrative and attractive for farmers.
“So NALDA will be encouraging farmers to go into wheat production, in order to begin to earn meaningful income, that will help us reduce the volume that we import and begin to consume what we produced. Our wheat consumption is more than six million metric tons annually and we are producing less than that, like 1.1 percent of what we consume. So, the total of 400 youths will be engaged in this season of wheat production in Gombe State.”
The Executive Secretary added that there is concerted effort to establish first integrated farm estate in Gombe in line with Federal and Gombe State Government collaboration.
“NALDA will provide farmers with what is called NALDA’s market for vegetable which you have provided us with the land. The project will be completed by end of February,” Ikonne added.
Also speaking, Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Yahaya lauded the effort of the Federal Government through NALDA.
He revealed that as a matter of subsidy the state had shown commitment by engaging land preparation as subsidy to farmers.
Yahaya, “These are testimonies in fulfilling our campaign promises to the people of Gombe State and the federation at large by the APC led administration. You are aware that agriculture is the mainstay of our economy which provides food and employment to over 75 per cent of the populace. Government will not relent efforts in providing the necessary assistance and supports needed by this group to be meet up with their requirements.”
On his part, Commissioner for Agriculture, Muhammad Getado said the project is rife due to the peaceful co-existence, adding that it would boost food sufficiency.
Gettado said, “it is note worthy to note that, this gesture extended by NALDA is attributed to the peace we have in Gombe State and our untiring Governor whose interest is to ensure food security and boost the economic activities in the state.”
