Federal Government, on Monday, said it will be launching a N1.6 billion recovery package for farmers who lost billions of Naira to devastating fungal ginger disease in Kaduna, Nasarawa, Plateau, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in 2023.
Senator Abubakar Kyari, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, who disclosed this at the inauguration of the ginger blight epidemic committee task force in Abuja, said preliminary study estimates that affected farmers in Southern Kaduna lost over N12 billion.
Kyari lamented that the blight has caused billions of Naira in losses, impacting not only the livelihoods of countless hardworking farmers but also Nigeria’s position as the world’s second-largest ginger producer.
The Minister who was represented by the Minister of State for Agriculture, Aliyu Abdullahi Sabi further stated that the inauguration will be followed by a groundbreaking state-level ceremony on Wednesday in Kaduna where the Taskforce through the National Agriculture Development Fund (NADFund) is launching the recovery package for affected farmers.
He assured that the ministry is committed to supporting farmers and actively exploring ways to prevent future outbreaks.
“In supporting affected farmers, we are firmly committed to providing financial assistance and resources to help our farmers recover from their losses.
“We are investing heavily in research and development to fully understand the fungal blight, developing effective prevention and mitigation strategies and seed multiplication- the technical and research committee under the lead of the National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI) propose to establish a 20 Hectares of land purely for clean ginger seed cultivation and multiplication.
“We are dedicated to enhancing agricultural extension services, equipping farmers with the knowledge and best practices necessary to prevent future crop diseases.
“It is with this multi-pronged approach that we launch the ginger blight epidemic committee Taskforce today.
“This taskforce will serve as the cornerstone of our response going forward, bringing together the expertise of researchers, extension agents, and most importantly, our dedicated farmers. Together, we will overcome this challenge and build a more resilient ginger industry.
“The ginger blight epidemic serves as a stark reminder of the importance of preparedness in safeguarding our agricultural resources. By investing in research, extension services, and farmer support systems, we can build a more sustainable future for our agricultural sector, ensuring Nigeria’s food security and continued success as a leading global ginger producer,” the Minister said.
