At the moment, Nigerian wheat growers are said to have the capacity to meet only 2 percent of the total national wheat demand, which experts put at over 4.1 million metric tons per year.
The recent initiative by the Federal Government under the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Anchor Borrowers Intervention Programme in Rice and Wheat production can only reduce the national demand deficit by 650,000 metric tons at the end of this year’s wheat growing session.
This issue and others confronting the Nigerian wheat sector are what are going to dominate discussions at the first National Council of State on Agriculture’s meeting slated to hold in the commercial city of Kano, this week.
The decision of the CBN to place wheat on the list of items that cannot access forex at the Nigerian foreign exchange market is already putting pressure on bakers in the country.
Salim Saleh Muhammad, who is the national president, Wheat Farmers Association of Nigeria, confirmed this development while speaking exclusively with BusinessDay at the weekend in Kano.
Muhammad said following the now positive demand for local wheat by millers in Nigeria, his association had entered into wheat development partnership with Lake Chad Research Institute, and IAR Zaria, to boost the production of the commodity in the country.
“The commodity is hugely neglected, and Nigeria is spending a lot of money in importing wheat where it has the potential of growing wheat. So, when you look at the scenario you will ask yourself why is this so, why should we be spending so much foreign exchange in importing wheat while we have the potential of growing wheat at least to our own internal consumption.
“By record, Nigeria is spending over $140 billion to keep the gap of the wheat that are being brought into the country. Last year alone, we have the highest importation of the commodity, which is why we went into the campaign to see how we can revive wheat production in the country.
“Fortunately for us, there is a West African project which was embarked upon that has help us bring back wheat production through Lake Chad Research Institute, and IAR Zaria. We now have new variety test, and adopted, and we have even migrated from foundation seed to breeder seed. Very soon, we are going to have our own certified seeds, and some of the wheat varieties tested in this country became very promising, and farmers are into the cultivation of these crops. So, we’re looking at the trend and how we can revive wheat production,” he noted.
According to him, his association has developed a local model for the improvement of wheat production in the country, and is working in partnership with other stakeholders to test as well as ensure the adoption of the model.
“Equally said, when this administration of President Muhammadu Buhari came into power they told us that their major focus is agricultural development, and luckily enough wheat is one of the crops of focus, and the Federal Government has even ask the CBN to intervene in the production of rice and wheat.
“I have attend the meeting of the CBN with the millers, with other stakeholders of the 10 producer states. Initially, we are 12 states producing wheat in Nigeria, but due to insurgency activities in Yobe, and Borno states, these states have suspended wheat production. We are also thinking of bringing in what variety that can be grown in states such as Plateau, Kaduna, Taraba and Adamawa,” he said further.
The model being developed is under testing in Kano where about 5000 hectares of wheat are presently being cultivated, the wheat farmers said, pointing out that the land being open up will provide employment for 3000 farmers.
“We are thinking of testing the model that we developed in Kano first, to see the viability and success and failure of the model, as well as other challenges before we extend it to other states next year. In Kano, we have planted 5000 hectares of land, and if you consider that at a minimum production capacity of one hectare per farmer, which 5000 farmers will be attracted, a side the medium- and large-scale farmers that are into the activity.
“So, that is why we are just talking about hectares. As you know, one farmer can have as much as 10 to 20 hectares of farmland, and our expected production output this year is a minimum of 20,000 metric ton in Kano, and as we said earlier, in Kebbi, Zamfara and Sokoto, the whole expected output is 600,000 to 650,000 metric tons.
“Initially, our target was over 1 million metric tons, but unfortunately, due to the scarcity of approved seeds, that is why we cut down our production for the year,” he said.
