Flour millers affirm commitment to wheat farmers

Flour Milling Association of Nigeria (FMAN) at the weekend in Kano demonstrated its support for the accelerated local production of wheat in Nigeria by donating 2,500 units of 3-inch water pumps and 2,500 units of plantable seeds in 50kg bags worth about N150 million to Wheat Farmers Association of Nigeria (WFAN).
The donation was in fulfilment of promises made at an MoU signing ceremony, on Tuesday, June 7, 2016, in the office of the minister, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) Abuja, where FMAN promised, among other things, to assist wheat farmers with the provision of farming equipment, water pumps, threshers and seedlings in order to boost wheat production in line with government policy to achieve food sufficiency and security, create jobs and reduce dependence on importation.
The signing of the MoU was described as the beginning of a very welcomed collaboration and co-operation between wheat farmers and flour millers.
In his speech at the occasion, the vice chairman of FMAN, Olarenwaju Jaiyeola, recalled that history was made in Nigeria with the signing of the MoU between both associations with the primary goal of accelerating wheat production in Nigeria.
He noted that the event in Kano was another historic and remarkable one in fulfilment of FMAN’s promise to WFAN having met and interacted with wheat farmers to ascertain their immediate needs.
The vice chairman added that the effort was to assist farmers in some wheat growing states and ameliorate some of the challenges being faced by farmers particularly with regards to scarcity of seedlings.
Jaiyeola was pleased to reveal, that in demonstration of FMAN’s deep grounded interest, passion and commitment to accelerate wheat programme in Nigeria, it released a Research and Development Grant of N20 million to the Lake Chad Research Institute (LCRI) in September, 2016.
“The Fund is to enable LCRI conduct research into improved wheat farming, wheat technology and modern agricultural practices aimed at developing improved wheat varieties with good yield. In addition, we expect that the grant will support the Institute in the training and dissemination of information to wheat farmers in Nigeria,” he further said.
He seized the opportunity to reiterate FMAN’s strong conviction that Nigeria would be self-sufficient in wheat production if all parties and key stakeholders were determined and worked together with sincerity of purpose.
According to him, “indeed, we see our role as complimentary to Government’s policies and measures, particularly the Central Bank of Nigeria’s Anchor Borrower Programme (ABP) which is aimed at transforming how the financing of small-holder agriculture is addressed.”
Jaiyeola promised to continue to demonstrate FMAN’s support from time to time to wheat farmers with whom they were forging excellent and beneficial working relationship.
The President of the wheat farmers Association of Nigeria, Saliu Muhummad expressed pleasure with the historical development whereby Flour millers are collaborating with Wheat Farmers to improve wheat Farming in the country for self sustenance and utilisation, especially in the area of guaranteed market and support with input to farmers for encouragement.
FMAN’s executive secretary, Y. Olalekan Saliu acknowledged the wonderful commitment and pioneering role of the Executive Governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje and his colleague, the Governor of Kebbi State, Abubukar Atiku Bagudu. He thanked the two Governors for their initiatives and wonderful support to farmers and the wheat value chain.
He also expressed FMAN’s appreciation to the Central Bank of Nigeria for its well thought out Anchor Borrower Programme (ABP), a source of great financial support to Nigerian farmers.
He acknowledged and appreciated the leadership role, encouragement and support of the minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Audu Ogbeh who is championing great transformation and achieving major breakthrough. Saliu also appreciated the efforts of O. Olabanji of the Lake Chad Research Institute and members of his team in the wheat value chain.