Wheat: Nigeria report for US SARD-SC ready

 Pix at  the Ratification Meeting on Socio-Economics Analysis on Wheat Final Report at Kano, State Ministry of Agric and Water Resources

The Nigeria report on wheat productivity by socio economics analysts at the value chains slated for 1-4^{th August} in Niamey, Niger Republic annual review meeting for 2016-17 planning and review activities for Support to Agricultural Research for Development of Strategic Crops in Africa (SARD-SC) is now ready alongside with other countries in Africa. 

Nigeria  report presented on socio- economic for evaluation at the wheat value chain productivity handled by Nigeria in the West Africa hubs attracted many stakeholders from both public and private sector at Kano as they gathered together to ratify the final  report meant for submission at  Niamey  towards annual review and planning of the 2016-17 SARD-SC being funded by the African Development Bank,  while International Centre for Agricultural Research (ICARD) and Lake Chad Research Institute( LCRI), Maiduguri are the implementing agencies in this region. 

The validation meeting that was declared opened by the Permanent secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resource, Kano state, HajiyaBintaRabi’u who admonished all the participants that includes farmers, scientists, extension officers, millers, seed companies, agro dealers and bakers to be very participatory in the ratification of the final report on behalf of Nigeria and West African hub saying her state government has been very supportive to agricultural development especially in wheat production.

HajiyaRabi’u ‘s position was well supported by the Wheat Farmers Association of Nigeria, Kano state chapter chairman, Mallam Farouk Rabi’uMudi who also  commended the Governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje for his support for Agriculture saying the achievement recorded on the crop was greatly attributed to his complimentary assistance through soft loan at zero interest and two wheat cleaning machines for processing.

The chairman, MallamMudi pointed that flour millers have already started off take of this produce for further processing into flour as about 1,500 bags of clean wheat has been given as the second delivery is going through cleaning for pick up.

Speaking on the importance of the validation meeting for the final ratification of the socio economic report of the wheat productivity and consumption in West African hubs, the Executive Director, LCRI Dr. OluwasinaOlabanji said it was part of what would be presented at the Naimey  SARD-SC review and planning for the year 2016-17 wheat component adding there was need to present a well ratified report for the country and West Africa towards SARD-SC 2016-2017 projection.

Dr. Olabanji said that the Naimey, Niger Republic meeting was going to focus on the presentation of the wheat project activities in the East and West African hubs low land saying the socio economic report, technologies generation and dissemination cum gender would be presented for planning and review of the 2016-17 wheat activities towards food security. 

Wheat consumption is rising rapidly in sub-Saharan Africa and imports account for over 70% of the region’s needs. Change is needed to protect ordinary Africans from the vagaries of global commodity markets and strengthen the continent’s wheat security – without change, the Continent’s population will remain vulnerable to sudden food price hikes.   

Nigeria, for instance, currently imports four million tons of wheat, spending $4 billion on the commodity every year – a figure that is expected to reach $10 billion by 2030 as Nigerians are predicted to consume over 10 million tons of imported wheat to satisfy their growing demand for non-traditional foods like pasta, noodles, and bread.

In Africa we cannot afford to repeat the mistakes of the past. The status quo – the ever-expanding demand-supply gap – is unsustainable and the prime cause of many societal problems, including widespread hunger and periodic violence.

 

ICARDA, the national and CGIAR partners are attempting to address these challenges through a region-wide initiative that aims to boost domestic production – seeing this strategy as the principal means of tackling Africa’s rising import dependence.