GAINT STRIDES OF THE WHEAT VALUE CHAIN

Introduction: The program seeks to increase productivity of wheat from 2.0 tons per hectare in 2013 to about 5.0 – 6.0 tons per hectare by 2015
and national production from the current 60,000 tons to 2.0 million tons by 2015 and transforms wheat to a major high income generation industrial crop for the farmers. 

Target:The Value Chain operates in 12 states which are:  Borno, Adamawa, Taraba, Bauchi, Jigawa, Kebbi, Plateau, Kano, Sokoto, Zanfara, Yobe and Gombe, 

The programme intends to support at the first instance, 75,000 wheat farmers or farmer groups each with 2ha translating to 0.15 million ha in 2013 and progressively increasing to 0.15 million farmers/farmer groups cultivating 0.30 m hectares to give a grain yield of about 1.50 million metric tons by 2015.

The project will also carry out identification and contact with the stakeholders at farmers’ level as well as procurement and distribution of inputs/seeds to the ultimate farmers.

Implementation Strategy at both Federal and State Government Levels

a.    Identification and contact with the stakeholders at farmers’ level;

b.    Procurement and distribution of inputs/seeds to the ultimate farmers;

c. Promotion and production of early maturing and drought tolerant seed varieties available at different Research Institutes, which will be selected for massive production and made available to farmers at 5o% subsidy (25% each to be borne by both Federal and State Governments);

d. Sensitization of farmers on the dangers of drought and where to procure recommended varieties’ to plant;

e.    Supervision, Monitoring and Evaluation, and

f.     Capacity building: Technical training and demonstrations to 10,000 Farmer households, Extension Agents and Processors on wheat product development, value addition, fortification and marketing for improved human and industrial uptake.

ACHIEVEMENTS:

§  Promoted 45, 293 wheat farmers including Youth Initiative for Sustainable Agriculture (YISA) were reached: they received over 2,044.3mt of improved wheat seeds and 45,293mt of fertilizer. 

§  Average yield rose from 1.2mt/ha to over 4.5 – 5.0mt/ha due to the new varieties developed and released by LCRI under ATA.  National wheat production rose significantly to over 0.24 million metric tonnes while total land area cultivated  has also increased to 0.15 million hectares respectively, while the nation’s self-sufficiency has increased from 2.2% to 10%.

§  LCRI in December, 2014, released two wheat varieties – Norman Borlaug and Reyna 28 with a potential yields of 5 – 6 tons/ha. 

§  The Wheat Programme procured and has been distributing farm inputs to wheat farmers for 2015/16 season 1,000 units of 3’’ water pumps, 1,500 (No) Knapsack Sprayers and 1,000 units of motorized threshing machines.

§  Trained 300 farmers (men and women)/youths and 20 Extension Agents from wheat producing States were trained on irrigated wheat production techniques and community seed production in collaboration with SARD-SC wheat project.

§  Procured seven units of compact milling machines with a capacity to mill 25.0mt of wheat and to be domiciled in six agro ecologies. One of such unit was donated to LCRI, Maiduguri.

Future Prospect:

• Increase supply of  improved seeds to wheat farmers for cultivation; 
• Developing a clear cut sustainable strategic local production and marketing policy for the product.
  
• Increase marketing linkages for wheat farmers, processors and marketing boards.
•  More advocacy visits to State Governments/political leaders to create awareness on potentials of wheat production in Nigeria.