The federal government, through the National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF), is providing support for ginger farmers in Kaduna, Nasarawa, Plateau, and the FCT.
This was disclosed by the executive secretary of the National Agricultural Development Fund, Ibrahim Abu Mohammed, who said that the support is in the form of inputs valued at N1.6bn to ginger farmers in three states and Abuja.
Ibrahim disclosed this yesterday, March 27, 2024, in Kaduna at the launch of the Ginger Blight Epidemic Control Taskforce Support Initiative, which he stated that it was in response to the ginger blight epidemic crisis experienced by about 15,000 ginger farmers in Kaduna, Nasarawa, Plateau, and Abuja. The initiative is supported by the Office of the Vice President.
Referring to the National Bureau for Statistics, he mentioned that it was reported that revenue from ginger exports increased by 17 percent to hit N10bn in Q2 of 2023 compared to N4.6bn over the same period in 2022. He noted that the crisis happened at a time when the country started witnessing considerable growth in ginger exports.
“At the first instance, we will be starting with input packs appropriately named the GRATE package, which is the Ginger Recovery Advancement and Transformation for Economic Empowerment.
“The recent ginger blight epidemic came at a time when our country had started to see considerable growth in ginger exports,” he noted.
Ibrahim said the team was eager to see ginger being grated in rural communities again in the immediate term.
In her remark, Technical Assistant on Agriculture, Office of the Vice President, Maryam Moon, said, “Many countries like Mexico are trying to grow Nigerian ginger because it is one of the best in the world.”
She urged Nigerian farmers not to relent but to increase ginger production in the country.
Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, who was represented by his deputy, Dr. Hadiza Sabuwa Balarabe, commended the federal government for its support of the affected ginger farmers in the state.
He described the ginger produced in the state as one of the best in the world and also urged ginger farmers to be more dedicated to the farming business.
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