In 2012, the Sokoto Rima River Basin Development Authority (SRRBDA), an agency of the Federal Ministry of Water Resources, which manages Jibiya dam amongst others, re-introduced wheat farming to the Jibiya irrigation scheme.
The initiative at that time was said to have been welcome by most farmers in Jibiya, who now say wheat production comes with a number of challenges, specifically marketability and a high cost of production.
Sarkin Noman Jibiya and chairman of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria in the local government area, Lawal Makiyayi, said though dry season farming is blooming and the last wheat production in Jibiya was successful, there are no customers willing to purchase the crop in bulk.
“Wheat production has always been in existence. But before now, we focused more on the production of rice, millet, maize, potatoes, cassava, vegetables and several other crops.
“When the people from the Rima Basin came and asked that we produce wheat, we met with them, discussed and were given seeds which we returned to them after harvest. I want to believe the seeds are different from what we are used to. Those that planted it, recorded high yield; I did too,” he said.
Makiyayi said officials of the Rima Basin had told them that the concept behind the initiative was to boost wheat production in Nigeria, adding, “After harvest we expected them to return to purchase the wheat or introduce customers to us, but nothing like that has happened. Now, we are stuck with the wheat.
“It is even more difficult for small scale farmers who cannot keep the wheat for a long period of time, waiting for a buyer because they are in need of money. Sometimes we take the wheat to Kano to sell,” he added.
Farmers who spoke to Daily Trust said if they cannot get ready market for their wheat after harvest, they will be forced to stop wheat farming and concentrate on more lucrative crops that are usually in high demand.
Tanimu Umar, a wheat farmer said wheat production requires a lot of money and is a crop that you cannot mix with other crops saying he harvested six bags last year and sold each at N16, 000.
Kabiru, a former wheat farmer, said he stopped wheat farming a few years ago because the stress involved in sales was overwhelming, adding, “Wheat farming has got a lot of potentials but there is too much stress involved in the whole process; you will have to go an extra mile to sell your harvest. Right now, I have ventured into producing other crops. I plan to go back to wheat farming when it becomes more marketable and when I have more money for expansion,” he said.
Musa Funtua, the Katsina State Commissioner for Agriculture, said the state government is poised to ensure farmers across the state have adequate access to market and won’t be left stuck with their harvests.
“In terms of access to market, a committee was set up to go round to assess the situation and to determine what needs to be done. They have submitted their final report. The government would ensure that in terms of access to market, the farmer will not cry.
“When you talk of wheat production, it is a federal government program, but the state government intervened. For 2014 alone, the state has made a special package of N500 million for intervention,” he said.
Funtua said no local government area in the state gets less than N32 million worth of fertilizer with full subsidy, adding, “The governor always has high quality fertilizer in stock and this is part of the government’s effort to ease the hardship of the farmers. We have a department that monitors activities regarding such things and they advise the governor on when is the appropriate time for distribution. We do not want a situation where we give farmers fertilizer and they go and sell it at the market.
“When we gave the farmers free wheat seeds last year, some of them were skeptical because it is a new program and they were uncertain how it would turn out. It was the same extension workers that motivated them to give it a trial. The extension services and the farmers work hand in hand. They advise them on what to do and how to go about it,” he said.
