President Buhari Launches First Commercial Wheat Farming In Nigeria

On Tuesday the 9^th November 2021, President Muhammadu Buhari launched the first-ever rain-fed commercial wheat cultivation in Nigeria. According to Buhari, the project should encourage Nigerian farmers to adopt wheat farming methods and processes, Thus putting an end to wheat importation which cost Nigeria an estimated $2 billion per annum.

Buhari, who was represented by the Governor of Plateau State Simon Bako Lalong explained that in the non oil sector, The agricultural sector is one of the most important in the economy contributing an average of 23.06% in Gross Domestic Product  between quarter one and quarter two of 2021.

 Buhari stated “Nigeria is on the path to actualizing sustainability in the production of rice, maize, cassava, soybean, groundnut, oil palm, cocoa, and very soon the breakthrough in wheat cultivation in Nigeria will be accomplished,”.

The occasion which took place in plateau state at the Wheat Seed Multiplication Farm in Kwall, Bassa included wheat farmers from around Nigeria.

Edward Lamtek, The deputy governor of the central bank of Nigeria, was also present at the event. He stated that the wheat cultivation initiative heralds the commencement of the Brown Revolution Journey which is the first major wet season wheat production in Nigeria with about 700 hectares put under cultivation in Kwall, Kassa, Jol, Kafi Abu and Sop in Jos, Plateau State.

His words “While the short-term implication of this is the addition of about 2,000 metric tons of seeds to our national seed stock, the country can now potentially add 750,000 metric tons of wheat to the nation’s output annually through rain-fed wheat cultivation in Plateau, Mambilla Plateau, and Obudu Plateau.”