By Gbenga Akingbule.
The Federal Government of Nigeria, through the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, on Saturday commence the 2025/2026 wheat production by providing farming inputs to 6,000 Borno rural farmers.
Gatekeepers News reports that the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security Senator Abubakar Kyari said of out the 40,000 hectares of land earmarked for cultivation in the new dry season farming, 3000 hectares was allocated to Borno wheat farmers representing 6,000 registered wheat farmers.
Senator Kyari disclosed this in Dusuman Village where critical stakeholders gathered including the Borno State Governor ,Prof Babagana Zulum, His eminence, Shehu of Borno, Alh. Dr Abubakar Ibn Umar Garbai Al-Amin Elkanemi representative of the Bank of Agriculture , farmers amonst others
The Minister revealed that the initiative is
another decisive step of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s effort to strengthen food security and expand local production saying , rhe National Agricultural Growth Scheme Agro Pocket (NAGS- AP) project has become one of the Federal Government’s most effective tools for empowering the smallholder farmers who produce over eighty percent of the food consumed in Nigeria.
According to the Minister, ” Out of the 40,000 hectares earmarked for wheat production in the 2025/2026 dry season, 3,000 hectares have been allocated to Borno State, representing 6,000 registered wheat farmers. This support will be followed by the second phase of the programme, which will promote the cultivation of other priority crop value chains across the state.”
Senator Kyari maintained that ” by providing quality inputs and field level extension services, the NAGS AP is driving measurable gains in productivity and strengthening the systems that support the growth of our agricultural economy.
The Minister revealed that “the wheat component of the NAGS AP programme covers sixteen wheat producing states of the federation. These are Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Cross River, Gombe, Kaduna, Kano, Kebbi, Niger, Plateau, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe and Zamfara. The inclusion of Cross River last year expanded wheat production into the southern region for the first time and strengthened our national capacity to diversify production across ecological zones.
He added that ” We began this renewed phase of the programme in Kadame village in Hadejia, Jigawa State for the 2023 2024 season, continued in Calabar, Cross River State during the 2024 2025 season, and today we are honoured to host the 2025 2026 national flag off here in Maiduguri, Borno State.”
Borno State Governor Prof Babagana Zulum commended the President Bola Tinubu led- administration for giving the desired attention to the agricultural sector, pointing out that the “Renewed Hope Agenda has continued to champion transformative investments in agriculture across Nigeria.”
The governor also expressed gratitude to the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, noting, “I also express profound appreciation to the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, under the leadership of the Honourable Minister, His Excellency Senator Abubakar Kyari, for sustaining this national programme and for selecting Borno State as one of the priority locations for scaled wheat production.”
The distributed inputs include high-yielding wheat seeds, blended fertilisers, tractors, and pesticides.
Beneficiaries commended the Federal Government for reaching out to rural farmers promising to make best use of the support they had received.
” I’m super excited with this support of farming inputs i received from the Federal Government, this support will boost our wheat production!” Hauwa Nasiru , one of the beneficiaries said .
