The Governor of Jigawa State, Umar Namadi, has embarked on a strategic study tour of Ethiopia with a high-level delegation comprising key aides on agricultural matters, officials, professionals from the state’s Ministry of Agriculture and relevant agencies.
A statement by the spokesperson of the governor, Hamisu Mohammed Gumel, said the purpose of the visit is to study Ethiopia’s National Wheat Production Initiative and engage in a comprehensive experience-sharing programme with that country’s top agricultural officials and experts with the aim of bringing home new ideas in the sector.
Wheat, being the second-largest grain globally in terms of production volume and acreage, holds critical importance in addressing food security challenges worldwide. Against this backdrop, Ethiopia has emerged as a key player in wheat production in Africa, demonstrating remarkable achievements in agricultural sustainability and productivity.
The visit aims to achieve key objectives, including on-the-field assessment of Ethiopia’s successful National Wheat Production Initiative and its benefits, facilitating knowledge exchange on wheat production systems and best practices. It will also explore ways of addressing challenges in sustainable wheat production, and enhancing collaboration between Ethiopia and Nigeria in adopting sustainable agricultural practices. Specific focus areas include understanding Ethiopia’s long-term plans for wheat production, assessing progress and challenges, exploring different production methods, and showcasing successful models like agricultural commercialisation and farmer production clusters.
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During the four-day official visit, the Jigawa delegation will, among other important things, derive lessons on rain-fed and irrigated wheat production in various federating states of Ethiopia as well as successful sustainable wheat production models, such as agricultural commercialisation and farmer production clusters.
Jigawa is currently the foremost wheat producing state in Nigeria, significantly contributing to the nation’s agricultural sector and food security, and the study tour is expected to open opportunities for the state as well as achieve several critical outcomes that would help to enhance sustainable wheat production in the state.
Mr Gumel said the visit underscores the commitment of Governor Namadi’s administration in the state to exploring innovative agricultural practices for enhancing food security and transforming the agricultural sector into a business venture for the largely agrarian population of the state.
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