Food Security: NALDA Targets 1,000MT as First Dry Season Wheat Harvest Begins in Gombe

James Emejo in Abuja
 In a major boost to wheat production and food security in the country, the National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA) said it has commenced its first dry season wheat harvest in Gombe State.The Executive Secretary of NALDA, Prince Paul Ikonne, said the harvest remained a proof that Nigeria can produce what she eats and eat what she produces in line with the directive of President Muhammadu Buhari.He said over 1,000 metric tons of the commodity was being targeted from the harvest which would boost food security amid the global commodity supply gaps occasioned by the Russian-ukrainian war.The breakthrough in wheat production in the state came barely five months after Ikonne urged farmers particularly youths in Gombe to embrace the cultivation of the commodity. He said given the existing headwinds in the nation’s agricultural sector, the wheat production was a feat worthy of celebration in view of the fact that the country spends huge amount of scarce foreign exchange on the importation of the commodity.Ikonne, at the ceremony, hailed Buhari’s support in ensuring Nigerians produce what they eat, the state government, traditional rulers and beneficiaries for giving their best in ensuring a good harvest.Represented at the occasion by Director, Engineering, NALDA, Mr. Olusegun Owolabi, Ikonne told the farmers that the harvest was the outcome of the partnership between the authority and State Government late last year.He pointed out that the authority had observed that wheat   was the third item in the country’s import bill which was exerting undue pressure on external reserves, which was why it embarked in the process of rewriting the history by collaborating with some states including Gombe to grow the commodity locally.On market availability, Ikonne said NALDA would get prospective buyers (processing companies) to off-take the produce from the farmers, a move that would further encourage more production in the interest of the economy in general.However, the 100-hectare wheat farm, situated in Papa Community in Nafada Local Government Area of the state, was cultivated in December 2021 by 100 women and youths drawn from the community at a ratio of 1 hectare to a person.The beneficiaries were provided with two brand new tractors, agrochemicals, fertilisers, irrigation pump, improved hand tools, land clearing and technical guidance by NALDA.  Harvesting, threshing and bagging the produce had since begun in earnest. The State Commissioner for Agriculture and Animal Husbandry, Alhaji Muhammed Magaji Gettado said the farm would go a long way to improve the livelihoods of the farmers as well as create jobs for the youths.
He noted that before the establishment of the farm, youths of the community migrated to neighbouring Taraba State and other neighbouring towns to make ends meet adding that they are currently fully engaged with the dry season wheat farm.The commissioner called on NALDA to take scale up the intervention by providing harvest machines including threshers for the farmers to enable them to package clean produce.Separately, in Katsina State, Ikonne inspected some of its ongoing projects including cattle and vegetable markets and grain storage warehouses in Maiadua Local Government Area of the state.He distributed pumping machines to farmers to boost irrigation farming at NALDA’s Integrated Farm Estate in Suduje, Daura local government.Ikonne charged the over 100 beneficiaries to use the machines to boost their irrigation activities and warned them against selling the machines.He said, “These machines are not for you to go sell, no but they are for you to use and better the growth of your farms and earn more income for yourselves and family.”One of the beneficiaries, a retired technical college teacher turned farmer, Abashe Ali Daura, said the pumping machines would go a long way in improving and expanding his farm.