By Tomisin Fatoba
The National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF) has promised to support ginger farmers in three states with N1.6 billion of inputs as bight epidemic ravages farmlands of the crop across the country.
This was disclosed recently at the launch of the Ginger Blight Epidemic Control Task Force support initiative in Kaduna.
The input support is under the Ginger Recovery Advancement and Transformation for Economic Empowerment (GRATE) package, which supports and stimulates the growth of the ginger industry.
Mohammed Ibrahim, secretary of the NADF said that about 15,000 ginger farmers in Kaduna, Plateau, Nasarawa and Abuja were affected by the recent ginger blight epidemic in the country which led to a considerable decline in the production and export of the commodity.
Read also: Nigerian farmers lose over ₦12bn to ginger blight outbreak — FG
Ibrahim explained how the federal government through the NADF is providing support valued at N1.6 billion, starting with a hectare input packs relatively named the GRATE package.
He also added the support package for ginger farmers, which includes a packet of 20kg bag of high-yielding seed variety, four packets 50kg bags of NPK fertilizer, two packets of 50kg bags of urea, 2pcs 1kg bag of fungicide.
In Q2 of 2023, the National Bureau for Statistics (NBS) reported an increase in revenue from ginger exports, reaching N10 billion compared to N4.6 billion in the same period in 2022.
Marian Moon, technical assistant on agriculture said the presidency is addressing agriculture and ginger farming as part of the government’s renewed agenda programme.
She added that many countries including Mexico are busy trying to grow Nigerian ginger because it’s one of the best in the world. She also urged farmers to increase ginger production in the country.
