FG targets 180,000 farmers to plant wheat, rice in Jigawa

The Federal Government says it is targeting no
fewer than 180,000 wheat and rice farmers in
Jigawa for the 2016/2017 dry season.
The State Director, Agricultural Transformation
Agenda, Malam Ahmad Labaran, disclosed
this in Dutse on Wednesday in an interview
with the News Agency of Nigeria.
Labaran said 90,000 farmers were targeted for
wheat production which would commence in
November 2016; while 90,000 farmers were
targeted for rice production in early 2017.
He explained that the Federal Government
would provide seeds, fertiliser and herbicide to
the farmers at subsidised rates.
The director added that each farmer would be
given three bags of fertilisers – two NPK and
one Urea (50 kilogrammes).
He stated that each farmer would be given 50
kilogrammes of seeds and two and a half litres
of herbicide.
Labaran said: “This is because wheat is cold-
loving crop, so it has to be planted between
November and December while the rice can be
delayed to early 2017.
“And for the seed, a farmer will pay 25 per
cent while the Federal Government will pay 75
percent.
“But for the rest, a farmer will pay 50 per cent
while the Federal Government will pay 50 per
cent.”
He, however, told NAN that the ATA office
would advise the Federal Government to
reduce the numbers of farmers on wheat and
add to those who would cultivate the land for
rice.
The director stated the inability of ATA office
to obtain 90,000 farmers to plant wheat.
Labaran said: “But unfortunately we could not
get 90,000 farmers, so we will advise the
government to reduce the number and add to
rice farmers because we have them in
abundance.”