4,000 Hectares Wheat Cultivation: Flour Millers Converge To Promote Production

The Flour Milling Association of Nigeria (FMAN) says it is cultivating In readiness to implement the 4,000 hectares of land wheat production across the country in its 2022- 2023 programme, the Flour Millers Association of Nigeria (FMAN) has brought together wheat farmers, research scientists, policymakers, development partners, and other stakeholders to interact and appraise new and improved technologies for adoption and to showcase the potential of wheat production in Nigeria. 

FMAN, whose direct out-grower programme is being expanded with input loans to cover 4,300 farmers across 3,900 hectares in seven states, recently held its highly anticipated Brown Field Day, which The event, which took place in Azambu Village, Mallam Madori, Jigawa State, was organised in cooperation with Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT), Africa Development Bank (AfDB), Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD), and Lake Chad Research Institute (LCRI). 

The aim of the event was to provide a platform for stakeholders to discuss and share information on the latest developments in wheat farming, including innovative techniques, seed varieties, and market opportunities.

During the FMAN event, training was provided to wheat farmers and extension agents, to prepare them for pre- and post-harvest handling for good quality produce, and to assure them of the support of all stakeholders across the wheat value chain to achieve wheat self-sufficiency for National food security. 

This planting season, the group said, 114-hectare demonstration farms are being planted in the six northern states to offer instruction in good agronomic practices, while Adamawa, Borno, Gombe, Plateau, Taraba, and Yobe are among the states. 

“FMAN’s direct out-grower programme is being expanded with input loans to cover 4,300 farmers across 3,900 hectares in seven states: Kano, Jigawa, Sokoto, Kebbi, Kaduna, Bauchi, and Zamfara. “Expansion of seed production to generate enough seeds for 10,000 hectares the following season with the help of six certified seed firms, encompassing both dry and rainy season seed production. TechniSeeds, Premier Seeds, Lifted Agro, Greenspore, Sow Agritech, and Ahalson Seed are some of the partners,” FMAN pointed out.