President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has stated that in the new year, his administration will prioritise security and the supply of food that’ll be enough to feed the country, News About Nigeria reports.
The president, while speaking in a New Year message to Nigerians on Monday, noted that his administration will double its efforts in ensuring that the plan of providing sufficient food supply is actualised.
Tinubu stated that in order to achieve this goal, his government will step up its plan to cultivate 500,000 hectares of farmlands across the country, where food crops like maize, rice, wheat, millet, and other staple crops will be grown.
According to him, the National Wheat Development Programme, which was launched in November 2023, will enable farmers to produce sufficient certified seeds, which will align with the nation’s target of cultivating between 200,000 and 250,000 hectares of wheat under the National Agricultural Growth Scheme and Agro-pocket project.
“The programme aims to enable farmers. The Federal Government will support about 150,000 to 250,000 farmers with a 50 percent input subsidy to cultivate between 200,000 and 250,000 hectares with an expected yield of 1,250,000 tonnes of wheat,” he said.
Recall that the government launched dry season farming in November 2023 on 120,000 hectares of land in Jigawa State under the National Wheat Development Programme.
President Tinubu also reiterated that he will work hard to ensure that all citizens feel the direct impact of government on their lives, noting that this is at the core of building a better nation and making sure we have a Nigerian society that cares for all its citizens.
