Wheat production in Nigeria has grown to 420,000 tonnes

The Federal Government of Nigeria has announced an increase in the annual wheat harvest. According to the authorities, the figures rose from 120,000 metric tonnes to 420,000 metric tonnes. This growth is attributed to the implementation of the National Agricultural Growth Scheme and Agro-Pocket (NAGS-AP), which is part of President Bola Tinubu's "Renewed Hope Agenda" program.

Senior Special Advisor to the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security on Agriculture and Innovation, Prof. Ademola Adenle, stated that the project aims to bridge the food supply gap and achieve national food security. Smallholder farmers are directly provided with subsidized quality inputs, including fertilizer, improved seed, and agro-dealer services.

Adenle noted that under the initiative, the production of various cultivated crops, particularly wheat, has increased by 300 percent. The baseline production level was previously about 120,000 metric tonnes per year.

In addition, the ministry plans to implement reforms in the agricultural sector affecting the production, processing, distribution, and marketing chains. As one of the structural problems of agriculture, Adenle cited the outdated Land Use Act of 1978, which grants broad powers to state authorities and creates an inefficient system for land access by smallholders, who cultivate an average of 0.5 to two hectares.