This year’s wheat cropping season in Borno State came with a loud bang, reminiscent of the glorious pre-terror decades when the far Northeast subregion and the Lake Chad shores were reputed for the massive agricultural production Nigeria and its neighbouring Chad, Cameroon and Niger Republics substantially relied on to feed their growing populations.
Specifically, the season showed a significant contrast between the terrorised environment and circumstances in which the returnee farmers tilled the fields and the striking volume of the wheat harvested.
Before the eruption of Boko Haram insurgency about fifteen years ago, all the Lake Chad shores local government areas, most-especially Marte local government area, in the Northern Borno zone, and several other local government areas in the central zone, were highly prosperous in wheat production, contributing substantially to economy of the Northeast.
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The Boko Haram terror crushed, to the virtually non-existent level, this reputation Borno built over the decades, with the displacement of the entire farming communities to IDP camps, very far distances away from the farms they used to cultivate to sustain and enhance that reputation.
With the gradual restoration of security across the vast Borno land up to the Lake Chad shores, and the subsequent relocation of the hitherto chased-out farming communities back to their ancestral homes and, therefore, back to the enterprise they know how to conduct best, by the Babagana Zulum government, hope rose for the revival of wheat production under the government’s comprehensive programmes and projects of agricultural production revitalization.
These programmes and projects by the Zulum government produced a spectacle that could gladden not just the Northeast and Nigeria, but the global community and specific stakeholders in the restoration of security and rapid economic growth and prosperity of Nigeria.
For the first time, and with a loud bang, wheat farmers in Jere, Konduga, Bama, Kukawa and Mafa stooped to cultivate wheat across more than 800 hectares of farm land, a spectacular feat that restore economic resuscitation hope for the terror-ravaged state.
This resuscitation is expected to be facilitated and accelerated by the fact that wheat is the most sought-after food grain due to its nutrients and economic value chain globally.
Elated by this development, the Zulum government has assured that it would prioritize massive production of wheat in the rainy season to enable the amazed farmers cultivate three circles of cropping a year.
Speaking on the development, Bawu Musami, the state Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources said the state governor, Babagana Zulum had already directed it commencement with an irrigation scheme of 2,000 hectares.
Borno state government has disclosed plans to cultivate 3,000 hectares of land for next dry season farming of wheat production, with target of 10,000 metrics tons of wheats in the state.
He opined, “Borno state can contribute more 20 percent of wheat consumption and requirements. With this, we are looking forward to as Governor Zulum directed the solar irrigation schemes of 2,000 hectares.
“We are targeting 10,000 hectares of land in Baga around Lake Chad Basin. We hope next year to harness and invest more to expand the 2000 hectares we had this year,” he said.
According to him, “This initiative will reduce post-harvest losses because farmers in this lost about 30 percent of their harvest to post-harvest. Everything is very okay here as the harvest of wheat is ongoing and since we commenced this harvest the market price has falled by 7 percent in Borno.”
He lamented that despite thyat the country was blessed with arable land, it has not been harnessed.
“Poland has 330, 000 square meters and less than forty million population yet most of our imports are from Poland, the gap is very wide and it is very shameful. We have the potential and land, the water nothing is limited, so, with this initiative of the Borno government whereby we have now fully resuscitated and revive the Baga fold project which was abandoned almost two decades is now fully back to life as you can see,” he said.
Also, Maina Mustapha Arjiinoma,
Program manager Borno State Agricultural Development program (BOSADP) explained that the Nigeria’s current wheat demand stands between 5-6 million Metric Tonnes (MT) out of which only 1 percent or 63,000 MT is produced locally. As a result, the nation imports over 5 million MT of wheat annually, amounting to $ 2billion to meet local demand.
However, Borno State government believes it can close the gaps by producing at least 20 percent of wheat consumption, as the state government is working hard to improve security situation in the state to encourage massive farming activities this year’s farming season.
He moted that recently Governor Zulum emphasised the importance of supporting security forces with the necessary tools which, he said, would enhance their efficiency and dedication to duty.
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He added that in a significant step in his unwavering commitment to strengthening the security architecture of Borno State Government presented 100 operational vehicles, 500 motorcycles and housing quarters to members of the Nigerian Police Force and military, as the case may be, who tirelessly serve and sacrifice to safeguard our communities.
“The Governor Zulum’s administration is taking strategic approach to combating food insecurity and enhance sufficiency, the committee have been tasked by Governor Zulum to ensure that they produce at least 3, 000 to 5,000 metrics tons of wheats in the next dry season. We are all it takes; we have modernised agricultural tools that can reduce post-harvest losses.
He pointed out the state government supported the farmers from the clearing of lands to harvest process, “So far, after more a decade we are back to wheats production, at least one thousand metrics tons of wheat harvested. As we speak currently harvesting is still ongoing. The farmers are motivated and eager to expand their cultivation next dry season.
