The National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF) has unveiled a support package valued at N1.6 billion to assist ginger farmers in response to the recent blight epidemic.
Mohammed Abu Ibrahim, Executive Secretary of the NADF, announced the initiative during the launch of the Ginger Blight Epidemic Control Taskforce support initiative, backed by the Office of the Vice President, held in Kaduna on Wednesday.
The support, part of the Ginger Recovery Advancement and Transformation for Economic Empowerment (GRATE) package, targets 15,000 ginger farmers across Kaduna, Plateau, Nasarawa, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) affected by the recent ginger blight epidemic.
Ibrahim emphasized the significance of the support initiative in light of Nigeria’s increasing ginger exports, citing a 17% rise in revenue from ginger exports reported by the National Bureau for Statistics (NBS) in the second quarter of 2023.
The support package, valued at N1.6 billion, includes essential inputs tailored to aid farmers in reviving their ginger cultivation.
Each package contains high-yield seed varieties, fertilizers, fungicides, insecticides, and herbicides to equip farmers with the necessary resources for ginger production.
”The intervention aims to restore productivity and economic viability to rural communities grappling with the impact of the blight epidemic,” Ibrahim said.
He expressed optimism about seeing ginger production thriving again in these communities immediately.
Marian Moon, Technical Assistant on Agriculture in the Office of the Vice President, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to revitalizing the agriculture sector, emphasizing ginger farming’s importance in Nigeria’s economic agenda.
She highlighted Nigeria’s competitive advantage in ginger production globally and urged farmers to increase production to meet growing demand.
Representing Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani, Deputy Hadiza Sabuwa Balarabe lauded the federal government’s swift response and support to affected farmers.
She hailed the quality of Kaduna’s ginger and encouraged farmers to redouble their efforts in ginger cultivation, positioning the state as a critical player in the global ginger market.
