Interview- Four billion dollar wheat import unacceptable says ED, lake Chad Research Institute, Dr.Gbenga Olabanji Read the excerpts of his interview below

Dr.Gbenga Olabanji

4 billion dollar wheat import unacceptable says ED, lake Chad Research Institute, Dr.Gbenga Olabanji,Read the excerpts of his interview below.

Sir, can you tell us the recent achievement wheat production in Nigeria has recorded to checkmate import?

Thank you, let me first start by appreciating the present administration for the political will they have demonstrated in supporting the wheat value chain.

 We are all aware the huge amount being spent monthly on wheat importation going to the tune of four billion dollar per annual. We feel strongly against the continuation of this spending. This why the wheat value chain has strategized on how we can improve on local productivity towards making the produce very competitive with other crops on the globe. 

However the production of wheat has increased from 2 tons to 5-6 tons per hectare which was very evident with the farm we visited together with the Kano state Governor and our minister yesterday. Both His Excellency and the Honorable Minister observed that is very possible to grow 4 tons per hectare with what they saw. 

Also we have expanded the wheat production frontiers to marginal areas like Kaduna, Nasarawa, FCT, and Ogun state. Already there are demands from many other states to joining in the production.

 States like Kogi, Kwara, Ebonyi and Edo have been showing interest of joining in the wheat production programme and which I have promised to send them pilot packages.

Now we have already developed heat tolerant wheat varieties that would guarantee our success in terms of good yield towards self sufficiency in the next five years couple the political will we are enjoying from the government with funds and inputs being made available. 

I can assure Nigerians that within the next five years, there will be wheat sufficiency in Nigeria. One good news is that the millers have seen the quality of our wheat varieties with research test and they have promised to off take them after production.

They have seen it is as good in terms of quality like the imported ones and they have agreed to mop up all our production from farmers and we are very committed to that. 

Our challenge is how do will meet the national requirement and that is why we are expanding our production frontiers. I want to thank the Governor of Kano, Kebbi, Sokoto, Zamfara, and Gombe as they have really tried to support their farmers.  Also the millers association has promised to invest five hundred millions into wheat research in Nigeria, that was the outcome of our meeting with them at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).