By Ikugbadi Oluwasegun
The Federal Government has secured a loan facility of one hundred and thirty four million dollars ($134 million) from the African Development Bank (AfDB) to boost seed and grain production in the country.
Abubakar Kyari, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security disclosed this while flagging off the 2024/2025 Dry Season Farming activities in Calabar, Cross River.
The goal is to ensure that the country becomes self-sufficient in key staple crops such as wheat, rice, maize, sorghum, soybean, and cassava.
Abubakar Kyari announced that Cross River and sixteen other states will participate in wheat production during the season.
Two hundred and fifty thousand wheat farmers will receive support with subsidized agricultural inputs to cultivate about 250,000 hectares with an expected output of approximately 750,000 metric tonnes of wheat to be added to the food reserve.
Additionally, the program will support one hundred and fifty thousand rice farmers in its second phase, covering all 37 states including the FCT with an expected output of around 450,000 metric tonnes.