Ginger blight: FG supports farmers with N1.6bn

In order to combat ginger blight, a disease that threatens one of Nigeria's most important agricultural exports, the Federal Government has announced that it is giving farmers access to an intervention fund worth N1.6 billion.

Fredrick Nwabufo, President Bola Tinubu's Special Assistant on Public Engagement, said this on his X Twitter on Monday.

According to him, the program demonstrates the government's dedication to agricultural resilience and is a component of a larger plan to safeguard the country's food supply.

Nwabufo said that the government "launched initiatives to combat ginger blight, providing N1.6bn in support of affected farmers and distributed pesticides and fungicides" as part of its attempts to combat pest infestation.

"The foundational elements of President Tinubu's policy plan are agriculture and food security. Food is a necessary and fundamental part of life, he said.
Declaring that "protecting the people against hunger is a basic extension of this sacred duty," he stressed that food security is a fundamental component of national security.

He pointed out that the N1.6 billion assistance is a component of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security's suite of initiatives, all aimed at addressing the short- and long-term sustainability of agriculture.

He claims that among the steps taken to maintain Nigeria's standing as one of the world's leading producers of ginger is the delivery of fungicides and insecticides to impacted farmers.

Nwabufo stated that the government has put in place a number of initiatives to support food production and stabilise prices in addition to the ginger blight campaign.

Among these is the recent halt of tariffs on a number of food goods, including maize, rice, and wheat, and the launch of a dry season farming initiative that has cultivated 118,657 hectares of wheat across 15 states.
He said, "This effort produced 474,628 metric tonnes of wheat and supported 107,429 farmers."

The Central Bank of Nigeria was instrumental in the distribution of 2.15 million bags of fertiliser and 60,000 metric tonnes of improved seeds, two other noteworthy operations.

"Across 109 crop production clusters, over 2,770 farmers have been empowered, receiving essential inputs and resources to enhance their productivity," he continued.

According to Nwabufo, the administration is likewise committed to animal health and cattle production, having established veterinary health centres and given out 14 million doses of immunisations against prevalent diseases.

He said, "Training of livestock farmers on antimicrobial resistance and biosecurity is also underway."
He underlined that the government's comprehensive strategy seeks to address more than just the immediate agricultural challenges but also to secure a sustainable food future for Nigeria.
He went on, "In compelling times like these, it's important to keep citizens informed of the government's efforts in this regard," reiterating the administration's commitment to guaranteeing food security for every Nigerian.