With 2.7MMT Annual Projection, NALDA Seeks to Crash Price of Wheat

James Emejo

The Executive Secretary/Chief Executive, National Land Development Authority (NALDA), Prince Paul Ikonne, yesterday said it is targeting to produce about 2.7 Million Metric Tons (MMT) of wheat annually across the country.

He expressed optimism that the significant boost in wheat production would further lead to a crash in the price of the commodity, reduce importation thereby preserving foreign exchange as well as create job opportunities for Nigerians.

Speaking when he received the Gombe State Governor, Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya in his office, Ikonne added that efforts by the authority to expand wheat production would also make flour accessible to the people.

He said the projected production is achievable, noting that the country had all it required to boost wheat production with the willingness of farmers.

He said, “This is very important because nature has also made it that it is very urgent for Nigeria to take advantage of what is happening in the world towards producing our own wheat, maize and other crops.

“We have the potential, the manpower, good weather, etc. President Muhammadu Buhari has resuscitated NALDA to make sure we get the land, get people motivated and make our farmers get back to farming. We have procured some processing machines so that it will be easy for farmers to start wheat processing. The small and big flour mills also need the raw materials.”

He said, “We have resolved in Gombe and with the governor’s visit, we can do more; the governor has pledged 4,500 hectares for our aggressive production that NALDA is collaborating with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and the result we got shows that it’s achievable.”

He also told the governor that has divided its plant projects into two parts where it is working with universities to get land for food production, pointing out that it is also working with the ministry of education to get 30,000 hectares of land that are not being used from universities.

According to the NALDA boss, the land will be divided for maize and cassava and wheat production.

Ikonne said, “As we speak, we are clearing 100 hectares land in Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO) Imo State, we already have 100 hectares of land at University of Agriculture, Umidike and we have already cleared and planted plantain at one of the universities in Aba, Abia State.

“We are grateful to God and we thank President Buhari for his mindset of putting Nigerians on the path of sustainability for the country to be food sufficient.”

On his part, Inuwa while commending NALDA’s effort towards achieving food security, said the state is already in line with the target for wheat production.

The governor said, “We cultivated 200 hectares of land for wheat this year and the result is good, that is why we are working with NALDA  to expand our production. With the recent development of the Russian – Ukraine war, we need to do more to stop the importation of wheat.”