The Executive Secretary of the National Agricultural Development Fund, Mohammed Ibrahim, says the Federal Government, through the NADF, is providing support in the form of inputs valued at N1.6bn to ginger farmers in three states and Abuja.
The input support is under the Ginger Recovery Advancement and Transformation for Economic Empowerment initiative.
Ibrahim disclosed this on Wednesday in Kaduna at the launch of Ginger Blight Epidemic Control Taskforce Support Initiative, supported by the Office of the Vice President.
According to him, 15,000 ginger farmers from Kaduna, Plateau, Nasarawa, and the FCT were affected by the recent ginger blight epidemic in the country.
He explained that the National Bureau for Statistics reported that revenue from ginger export increased by 17 per cent to hit N10bn in Q2 of 2023 compared to N4.6bn over the same period in 2022.
He noted that it was in response to the epidemic crisis that the task force was set up.
He said, “At the first instance, the Federal Government, through the NADF is providing support valued at N1.6bn starting out with input packs appropriately named the GRATE package, which is the Ginger Recovery Advancement and Transformation for Economic Empowerment.
“The recent ginger blight epidemic, while affecting an estimated 15,000 farmers across Kaduna, Plateau, Nasarawa states, and the FCT, came at a time our country had started to see considerable growth in ginger exports.”
Ibrahim said the team was eager to see ginger being grated in rural communities again in the immediate term.
In her remarks, Technical Assistant on Agriculture, Office of the Vice President, Maryam Moon, said the Presidency was taking the issue of agriculture and ginger farming seriously as part of the government’s Renewed Hope Aenda programme.
According to her, many countries like Mexico are trying to grow Nigerian Ginger because it ione of the best in the world.
This was just as she urged Nigerian farmers to increase ginger production in the country.
Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, represented by his deputy, Dr. Hadiza Balarabe, commended the Federal Government for its support to the affected ginger farmers in the state.
The governor described ginger produced in the state as one of the best in the world, urging ginger farmers to be more dedicated to the farming business.