Stakeholders in the agricultural sector have said only quality seeds should be used for farming to achieve food security, especially in wheat production. Both local and international agriculture experts stated this during a webinar organised by Olam Green Land with the topic; Seeds for the Future – First Year Report and Stakeholders’ Engagement.”
The stakeholders said it was necessary to develop suitable seed varieties to bridge the wheat production gap in the country. In his remarks, Senior Scientist, Durum Wheat Breeder of the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), Dr. Filippo M Bassi, regarded wheat production as a ‘good business’ and also gives people the right to food security.
According to him, policies that promote the application of technology and good seedlings should be implemented to attain sustainability in wheat production.
Also, Bassi noted that Nigeria lacks quality herbicides and agrochemicals for farming which he identified as one of the factors causing food insecurity and has health implications on the populace.
On his part, Director of Research, Lake Chad Research Institute, Dr. Zakari Turaki called for public-private partnership, saying it is significant to attaining agricultural goals of Nigeria.
Also, Chairman, Agricultural Colleges and Institutions Committee of the Federal House of Representatives, Alhaji Munir Babba Dan Agundi, harped on the role of legislation for operational synergy, stressing that it is crucial to the achievement of wheat self-sufficiency in Nigeria. The lawmaker canvassed support for research institutes and called for consistent policies and accurate data for lasting solution in the wheat value chain.
The President, Wheat Farmers Association of Nigeria, Dr. Salim Saleh, decried challenges faced by Nigerian farmers, including inadequate quality seeds, urging the government to adopt privatisation in the wheat sector.
According to him, capacity building, improvement of technological innovation and mechanisation of agricultural practices, such as provision of tractors, seed planters, ploughers, among others, could help Nigeria achieve its planned goal of 50% sufficiency in 4-5 years.
His words: “The government should have a strategic plan on exactly what to achieve, implement existing policies, enhance political will, and attract private sector investments to the wheat value chain. “Most farmers work with traditional tools, our farmers are not conversant with seed planters, where they are conversant with it, they are not accessible.
“All concerned stakeholders, farmers, millers and researchers should come together to address issues affecting the agricultural sector, train farmers, engage them in early plantation, night irrigation, application of quality herbicides and price maximisation.”
On the other hand, a Durum Wheat Expert and former Head of the Italian Cooperation in Ethiopia, Mr. Tiberio Chiari, attributed wheat insufficiency to high demand globally, suggesting engagement of professionals and experts along with the adoption of technology in Nigeria’s agricultural practices to boost production.
