Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development; Dr Akinwumi Adesina said yesterday that the recent local wheat production in the country would reduce the importation of the commodity by 50 per cent.
Adesina said this in Abuja at a Workshop on Strengthening the Support to Agricultural Research for Development of Strategic Crops in Africa (SARD-SC).
Represented by Mr Akinbolawa Osho, the Director, Fertliser, Adesina said that the ministry had distributed seven tonnes of breeder foundation seeds to certified seed producers and companies in 2013.
Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development; Dr Akinwumi Adesina said yesterday that the recent local wheat production in the country would reduce the importation of the commodity by 50 per cent.
Adesina said this in Abuja at a Workshop on Strengthening the Support to Agricultural Research for Development of Strategic Crops in Africa (SARD-SC).
Represented by Mr Akinbolawa Osho, the Director, Fertliser, Adesina said that the ministry had distributed seven tonnes of breeder foundation seeds to certified seed producers and companies in 2013.
He observed that about 33,000 hectares would be cultivated in each of the wheat producing states in the country.
“Special technical training has been carried out across the value chain to enhance local wheat production, processing and quality control.
“Research institutes in the country and abroad were able to research and develop Nigeria’s own wheat and this has helped increase wheat production in the country.’’
Earlier, Rep. Mohammed Moguno, the Chairman, House Committee on Agriculture, gave an assurance that there would be collaboration between the executive and legislative arms of government to achieve the Maputo Declaration.
The declaration was adopted by African leaders during their 2003 summit in Maputo and it recommends the allocation of 10 per cent of individual countries' budgets to agriculture.
Nineteen African Heads of States and Governments at the African Union (AU) Summit endorsed the declaration.
He stressed that members of the house are willing to partner with the ministry through appropriate legislation, to advance the cause of wheat production in the country.
“This country spend about N635 billion annually on wheat importation and the way we can maximise the potential of wheat is through this type of interaction.’’
He gave an assurance that the National Assembly would provide a robust appropriation to support the agriculture sector, as it championed the inclusion of wheat be part of the mandate crops under the Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA).
He said that the House was committed to the overall food security and diversification of the economy.
Also speaking, Dr Mohammed El-Nourid, the Regional Coordinator (North Africa), International Centre for Agricultural Research (ICARDA) in Tunis, Tunisia, said that the workshop was organised to support agricultural research for strategic crops.
Represented by Dr Mahmood Solh, the Director-General of ICARDA, he added that the project was aimed at addressing food security, livelihood of the people and achieving positive impact in the agriculture sector.
He noted that the research was implemented by some research institutions in Nigeria in partnership with the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA), ICARDA and 22 African research institutes.
“Today, Africa is consuming more than 50 million tonnes of wheat and more than 60 per cent of it is being imported, but the continent has the potential to produce it,’’ El-Nourid said.
He expressed optimism that Africa could increase wheat production with adequate commitment.
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