No fewer than 250,000 wheat farmers across 15 northern states, were trained by the Flour Mills Association of Nigeria (FMAN) on good agronomic practices for wheat production towards bridging wheat deficit gap in Nigeria.
Dr. Aliyu Samaila , National Programme Manager of the association disclosed this at the Kaduna State wheat Farmers Green Field Day, on Friday in Zaria.
Samaila said the training was part of the Association’s development programme for 2021-2022 season.
He added that the trained farmers were the beneficiaries of Anchor Borrower’s Scheme of the Central Bank of Nigeria, who are to cultivate 504 demonstration farms each, on 0.5 hectares in 15 Northern States.
He said the association had also empowered 2000 wheat farmers across Kano, Jigawa, Sokoto, Kebbi, Kaduna, Bauchi and Gombe states with inputs loan under its direct out grower programme.
He added that the number would increase to 5000 by next season, stressing that the association was working closely with six certified seed companies for the production of wet and dry season wheat.
Samaila reiterated the commitment of the association to provide market for wheat farmers in Nigeria.
“We are expanding our procurement as an industry across the wheat producing states, through additional aggregation staff and warehouse capacity.
“We are establishing procurement centres across 15 Northern states to uptake all wheat grains produced in the country, ” he said
In his remarks, the representative of the Commissioner for Agriculture, Kaduna state, Malam Ibrahim Hussaini, said that the state has revived wheat production in Zaria, Igabi and Kubau and the farms were doing very well.
He further restated the commitment of the state government and other key stakeholders to desilt dams and channels to boost dry season farming.
