The demand for wheat is soaring. Overall expenditure on bread and other baked products hit the billion naira mark yearly. But the industry has been going through turbulent times, including the scourge of Coronavirus and climate change, among other challenges. DANIEL ESSIET looks at efforts to boost wheat production and consumption.
In Nigeria, wheat production and consumption is upbeat. The sub-sector’s robust performance is reflected in the number of jobs it supports across the wheat-based food market estimated at millions of tons yearly.
To analysts, the market in Nigeria is one with relatively strong macro-economic fundamentals and vast domestic market.
A few states are considered special agro-ecologies capable of supporting wheat cultivation in Nigeria. The states are Borno, Yobe, Bauchi, Gombe, Jigawa, Kano, Katsina, Zamfara, Sokoto and Kebbi.
Experts say rain-fed wheat production can be achieved in the highlands of Mambila in Taraba State, Jos in Plateau State and Obudu in Cross River State.
However, wheat production in the Northeast region states such as Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba, and Yobe has been declining in recent years due to activities of insurgents.
Like many industries, the wheat sector has faced production challenges. Over the past 10 years, average yields – the amount harvested per unit of land cultivated at one ton per hectare- has been too low to meet demand forecast, while underinvestment is worsening the situation.
Small holders vulnerable
In the North where the bulk of the national volume comes, farmers confront increasing threats to their livelihoods, including insurgency, drought, insect-pests, and diseases.
Many small-scale wheat farmers hindered by lack of awareness and availability of expert guidance, have seen a sharp decline in production, and attributed to poor seeds and low yields. The resulting financial loss has driven many to switch to production of other crops.
Other complaints of the farmers were high wheat production costs. Apart from fertiliser, farmers also must pay workers, agricultural equipment rent and fuel for equipment.
Combined, the costs are far higher than the price that is offering for wheat. This hampers production efficiency and competitiveness.
One of those who have shown concern about the situation is the Chairman of wheat farmers in Ringim Local Government Area of the state, Hamisu Salisu Dabi. Around his area, farmers depend on old varieties.
Other stakeholders maintained that if wheat production is to record massive growth farmers must have access to new varieties to improve productivity, feed the fast growing population and help get them out of the cycle of poverty.
Impact of Coronavirus lockdown
Nigeria had relied on imported wheat to support industries and feed its population. As COVID-19 continues to disrupt trade flows and keeps more than 2.5 billion people under lockdowns, some grain exporters restricted wheat exports to ensure enough supplies for their own populations.
Since the pandemic, wheat production in several worlds’ biggest exporters – Argentina, Australia, Canada, the European Union, Kazakhstan, Russia, Ukraine and the United States has suffered some setbacks since the outbreak of coronavirus pandemic.
There was pressure to ramp up sufficient stockpiles as the pandemic lasts. A mix of technical buying and global demand for bread as the coronavirus prompts consumer stockpiling, analysts say.
In Nigeria, farm supply lines were disrupted. Industries struggled to stay afloat. It was difficult moving wheat and other grains across state borders. Frenzied buying, exacerbated the impact of the pandemic on food markets.
The President, Federation of Agricultural Commodities Association of Nigeria (FACAN), Victor Iyama told The Nation that farmers were confronted with logistical issues that have created food crisis. Indeed, coronavirus-induced economic downturn hurt most Nigerian grains markets.
Across the board, farmers and millers were concerned about logistic issues, whether it’s moving raw wheat across closed borders or having enough products moving.
For FACAN boss, the more the restrictions persist, the more the risk of shortage of raw materials for food companies that depend on farmers for supply.
Making Nigeria a major wheat producer
Nigeria requires 3.7 million tons of wheat grain per annum, but it currently produces only 80,000 metric tons. Thus the situation had led to a wide gap between domestic production and consumption. The nation is only 2.2 per cent self-sufficient, and depends on import to meet the huge deficit.
The country is the world’s largest importer of USA hard red and white winter wheat, with total imports from 1999 to 2010 hitting $6,792,934,000. Since 2005, the annual value is about US$4.0 billion.
The most critical challenge for Nigeria is the curtailment of food imports, through increased domestic production of key food crops in order to conserve foreign exchange.
However, local wheat production remained inadequate. The nation’s wheat milling capacity is at about eight million tons.
So far, the outlook is less rosy. Though national wheat yields are steadily rising, it is still average with only one ton per hectare, well below global standards.
Recovery for the local wheat farming sector is important for the food processing industry. The last four years has witnessed major developments where wheat price and prices of other staple foods increased.
Experts say with improved wheat seeds, coupled with increased use of irrigation, fertiliser, modern pest management practices and good agronomy, it is possible to achieve accelerated rates of yield gain.
Private sector’s response
As Nigeria faces significant challenges in the areas of low wheat yields, climatic extremes and variability, costly farm inputs, threats due to pests and diseases, and growing demand for food, experts say it is critical to provide smallholder farmers with access to high quality seeds to allow them to increase yields and incomes.
They believe this is possible if the Federal Government and business leaders establish a dynamic public-private partnership with a view to steadily increasing wheat production.
To this end, groups are experimenting on models to support empowerment in the wheat sector. One of the groups is Flour Milling Association of Nigeria (FMAN).
It has been testing service provision models to expand small-scale wheat that would benefit both men and women in the North Central, especially Jigawa and Kano which stand out as having good opportunities to boost production.
With the introduction of thresher and small-scale irrigation technology by FMAN, farmers are able to grow wheat profitably on one hectare. One of the key officials of FMAN is the Head of Value Chain Development, Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc, Sarah Huber.
As farms are modernised and incomes rise, Huber believes the local economies can diversify, providing alternatives to eking out subsistence living. For these reasons, wheat farming is now looking attractive.
Lead Agronomist with FMAN Ahmed Tijani Abdullahi is happy with efforts to revive wheat cultivation.
He described the insurgency in the Northeast as very unfortunate as the industry has experienced setback. National wheat production usually comes from Kano, Borno, Kebbi and Jigawa states.
Because of insurgency, farmers have been unable to grow wheat in Borno State. But for the insurgency in the Northeast, he said, Nigeria would have achieved significant reduction in wheat importation.
Out growers programme
Initiated by FMAN, the programme trains farmers to run efficient wheat farming business with sessions on planning, financing and the collection, drying and storage of harvests. The package included use of certified seeds, improved farming techniques and a guaranteed market for the wheat crop.
The participants are to repay with one ton after harvest while the association guarantees purchase of two tons from each farmer. Local wheat farmers in Kano and Jigawa states who have long relied on traditional methods were introduced to better growing techniques.
Huber expects the yields under the programme to increase to five tons per hectare.
For a start, she said FMAN is working with 300 farmers. Farmers expect to see significant social and economic benefits from the programme.
The Acting Chairman AFAN Kano State, Zubairi Mohammed, said it was highly beneficial as farmers were provided with certified wheat seed, fertiliser, training in balanced use; and a commitment to buy their wheat at the market rate at the end of the day. This, he noted, reduced marketing risk for farmers.
Reviving hope for farmers
Ringim is typical of Jigawa rural life. People work on their farms, grow crops and look after their cattle.
Mrs Harwa Alli is a happy farmer. She looks happy as she watches her wheat field. She believes the harvest this year will be bountiful. Mrs Alli is one of the contracted farmers who accepted the challenge of planting certified wheat seed.
She is looking at harvesting four tons of wheat on her farm, thanks to good seeds and micro-dosing, the targeted application of small quantities of fertiliser in a field. If things go as anticipated, she will make more profit each season from her farm in Ringim in Jigawa State.
She and other growers are out to take advantage of the out growers scheme to increase yields. She believes she is having a great start to the season.
Apart from the out growers’ scheme orchestrating new farming methods, Mrs Alli sees the provision of improved inputs and high-yield seed varieties improving harvests and reducing poverty. She uses good seeds and fertiliser yielding bigger returns.
Seed multiplication farms
The question is no longer whether wheat will be a growth-enhancer and a game-changer. It is rather how to fast-track its implementation to begin to reap the benefits of the sector.
This would meet the aspirations of many farmers who have contemplated outcomes that have remained elusive for too many.
FMAN also support the Lake Chad Research Institute (LCRI) to carry out wheat trials.
The aim of the partnership is to develop wheat that can cope with demanding environments around the country, helping smallholder farmers adapt to challenges such as climate change, emerging pests and disease, and malnutrition.
The programme will address pressing seed production concerns that include insufficient genetic purity due to pollen contamination resulting from improper practices.
The Field Officer, National Agricultural Seeds Council (NASC), Kano State, Kabir Zaharaddeen, said there have been reported cases of seed adulteration in Plateau State leading to poor yield in farm produce.
Aggregation centre
The Head of Aggregation GAIL, Kano, Abdul Benlarabi believes Nigeria is building a substantial increase in wheat production. This implies that it could have ample wheat to meet demand in the market.
He said the aggregation centre provides supply for flour millers. The system will allow large scale private buyers to buy directly from the smallholder farmers whose produce have been accessed and graded.
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