The Federal Government’s Plan to Provide N1.6bn Support for Ginger Farmers

Mohammed Ibrahim, the Executive Secretary of the National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF), has announced that the Federal Government, through the NADF, will be offering support valued at N1.6bn in inputs to ginger farmers in three states and Abuja.

This support is part of the Ginger Recovery Advancement and Transformation for Economic Empowerment initiative.

During the launch of the Ginger Blight Epidemic Control Taskforce Support Initiative in Kaduna, Ibrahim revealed that 15,000 ginger farmers from Kaduna, Plateau, Nasarawa, and the FCT were impacted by the recent ginger blight epidemic in the country.

He pointed out that the National Bureau for Statistics had reported a 17% increase in revenue from ginger export, reaching N10bn in Q2 of 2023 compared to N4.6bn in the same period of 2022.

The establishment of the task force was a response to the crisis caused by the epidemic.

According to Ibrahim, “The Federal Government, through the NADF, is initially providing N1.6bn worth of support with input packs named the Ginger Recovery Advancement and Transformation for Economic Empowerment (GRATE) package.”

“The recent ginger blight epidemic, impacting an estimated 15,000 farmers in Kaduna, Plateau, Nasarawa, and the FCT, occurred just as the country was experiencing significant growth in ginger exports.”

In the immediate term, Ibrahim expressed the team’s eagerness to witness the grating of ginger in rural communities once again.

Addressing the issue, Maryam Moon, the Technical Assistant on Agriculture at the Office of the Vice President, emphasized the government’s commitment to agriculture and ginger farming under the Renewed Hope Agenda program.

She highlighted that countries like Mexico are interested in growing Nigerian ginger due to its quality being among the best globally.

Encouraging Nigerian farmers, Moon urged them to boost ginger production within the country.

Uba Sani, the Kaduna State Governor, represented by Deputy Governor Dr. Hadiza Balarabe, commended the Federal Government’s aid to the affected ginger farmers in the state.

Describing the ginger produced in Kaduna as top-tier globally, the governor urged ginger farmers to enhance their dedication to the farming sector.