By Abdulkareem Haruna

Nigeria’s Federal Government and Jigawa State Government have teamed up to launch a substantial wheat cultivation project as part of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, with hopes of significantly boosting the country’s agricultural output.

The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, announced at the Saturday ceremony that the Federal Government plans to cultivate 100,000 hectares of wheat during the upcoming dry season. This initiative coincides with a similar commitment from the Jigawa State Government, which has pledged to allocate 40,000 hectares to the wheat production program.


Governor Umar Namadi of Jigawa has expressed confidence in the project, stating that wheat production will contribute to the state’s objectives of food security, economic diversification, and empowerment of citizens. This aligns with his administration’s 12-point agenda.


Local farmers have welcomed the initiative, buoyed by the governments’ commitment and support. Sabiu Ibrahim, a wheat farmer, praised the state’s leadership and the ease of access to farming inputs, which were previously challenging to obtain.


The government has provided a comprehensive package of farming inputs, including tractors, wheat seedlings, fertilizers, input machines, and pest control chemicals at subsidized prices. The estimated worth of these inputs is over N300,000, but they are being provided to farmers for N80,000.


The anticipated benefits of these initiatives are extensive. Over 42,000 smallholder farmers are expected to see their farming capacity significantly expanded through participation in the wheat production program.

The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security stated, “Our aim is to produce sufficient food that will tackle the cases of hunger and food scarcity. In this current dry season gaming, we are targeting the cultivation of wheat, maize, rice and cassava.”

The government anticipates that the intervention will be one of a kind, with special seeds imported from Mexico that can resist harsh weather conditions. Through these efforts, the government aims to cultivate a total of 125,000 hectares of wheat, rice, maize, and soya beans.


“The initiative we launched today in Jigawa state primarily aims to provide free wheat seeds to any farmers willing to participate, regardless of their land size,” the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security said. “Additionally, we are offering fertilizers at a 50% subsidized rate to any interested farmers, with an overarching goal of boosting food production in the country.”

“This initiative is unique in its approach,” the Minister continued. “For the first time, we have imported special seeds from Mexico. This new variety of wheat, known as Bolough 100, has the resilience to withstand harsh weather conditions. Our objective is to engage a broad base of farmers to help us meet our ambitious goal of cultivating 125,000 hectares of wheat, rice, maize, and soya beans.”