![FG targets 250,000 farmers for 2023/2024 wheat farming program, HOTPEN](https://hotpen.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/IMG_20231126_100016.jpg)
By Aliyu Dangida
Federal Government has targetted to register 250,000 farmers as beneficiaries of the 2023/2024 FG National Wheat Productions Program.
Speaking at the occasion the Federal Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari stated that, the flagging off of the program is a key activity in the implementation of federal government food security policy.
The program was flagged off in Kadume village of Hadejia local government of the state, the minister noted that, the registered farmers will be given free seeds while other inputs will be sold to them at 50 percent subsidy, aims at enhancing their capabilities to implement the program.
“In this regards we have set ambitious target to support between 150,000 to 250,000 farmers with 50% input subsidy to cultivate between 200,000 to 250,000 hectares and an expected yield of 1,250,000 tonnes of wheat aimed enhancing our food security.
“Under the policy we want to improve our crops yields by 20 percent this year, . Equally we will gradually continue to improve our irrigation facilities to diversify crops production for achieving food security, Jobs creation, growth and development “. He added.
The Minister commended the commitments demonstrated by Jigawa state government and it’s farmers which proved to federal government that the state is a key and a reliable partner in achieving federal government food security policy, jobs creation and poverty eradication.
In his speech at the occasion, the Jigawa state governor Malam Umar Namadi said, the federal government Wheat Productions and Agricultural Policy is a welcome intervention and it is in tandem with his Government 12 point agenda for poverty eradication jobs creation and making “Jigawa great”.
Governor Namadi explained that, provision of sustainable livelihood through exploiting all the agricultural potentiality at all aspects is an integral part of our 12 point agenda, and in achieving this we are ready to partner with any collaborator at all levels.
“The mantra of “Agriculture as Business” has been yielding good result in our state we will gradually continue to improve our Fadama irrigation facilities to make Agriculture throughout the years business in the state.”
“Under this year, Federal Government Wheat production programm, we will mobilized additional 1,400 Extension Agents to support the farmers with modern techniques of farming and equally stand as their grantors for accessing the loan of 35 percent of the remaining 50 percent coast of inputs subsidized by Federal government for achieving the desire goals”. Governor Namadi pointed out.