FG to launch 1.6bn for affected ginger farmers
The federal government, through the national agricultural development fund, has said it will launch a N1.6bn recovery package for affected farmers in ginger-producing areas.
Minister of state for agriculture and food security,Aliyu Abdullahi, disclosed this on Monday at the inauguration of the national ginger blight epidemic control taskforce in Abuja.
The federal government at the meeting confirmed the outbreak of ginger blight epidemic in four states across Nigeria, adding that farmers have lost over N12bn due to the disease.
Abdullahi said the fungal disease has inflicted significant damage on ginger farms in Kaduna, Nassarawa, Plateau, and the Federal Capital Territory.
The minister said the blight has led to losses in billions of naira, impacting not only the livelihoods of farmers, but also Nigeria’s position as the world’s second-largest ginger producer.
He said: “Our preliminary estimates suggested that affected farmers in southern Kaduna lost over N12bn. Furthermore, considering that over 85 percent of Nigeria’s ginger cultivation occurs in this region, we can safely assume a substantial loss of cultivated land, potentially exceeding 70 percent of total land.”
According to him, the ginger blight epidemic served as a stark reminder of the importance of preparedness in safeguarding agricultural resources, adding that by investing in research, extension services, and farmer support systems that Nigeria can build a more sustainable future for our agricultural sector.
Also, Chairman of the task force committee, Abubakar Abdullahi, said the blight on ginger has negatively affected the gross domestic product earnings from the subsector.
He said it is of necessity and great urgency that various subcommittees are put in place to forestall these negative effects.
