The Federal Government, through the NADF, is giving N1.6bn worth of assistance to ginger farmers in three states and Abuja, by providing them with materials.
The support for inputs is part of the Ginger Recovery Advancement and Transformation for Economic Empowerment initiative.
Ibrahim revealed this in Kaduna during the launch of Ginger Blight Epidemic Control Taskforce Support Initiative, which received backing from the Office of the Vice President.
He said around 15,000 ginger farmers from Kaduna, Plateau, Nasarawa, and the FCT were impacted by the recent ginger blight epidemic in the country.
He stated that the National Bureau for Statistics documented a 17% increase in revenue from ginger export, reaching N10bn in Q2 of 2023 compared to N4.6bn in the same period in 2022.
He pointed out that the task force was established in response to the epidemic crisis.
He stated, “Initially, the Federal Government, through the NADF, is giving N1.6bn worth of support starting with input packs named the GRATE package, which is the Ginger Recovery Advancement and Transformation for Economic Empowerment.
“The recent ginger blight epidemic, affecting an estimated 15,000 farmers across Kaduna, Plateau, Nasarawa states, and the FCT, came at a time when our country had begun to witness significant growth in ginger exports.”
Ibrahim mentioned that the team was keen to see ginger production resume in rural communities in the short term.
Maryam Moon, the Technical Assistant on Agriculture in the Office of the Vice President, emphasized the government's commitment to agriculture and ginger farming as part of the Renewed Hope Agenda programme.
She also mentioned that several countries, like Mexico, are attempting to cultivate Nigerian Ginger because it is one of the best in the world.
Furthermore, she urged Nigerian farmers to boost ginger production in the country.
Uba Sani, the Kaduna State Governor, represented by his deputy, Dr. Hadiza Balarabe, praised the Federal Government for its assistance to the affected ginger farmers in the state.
The governor highlighted the quality of ginger produced in the state as being among the best globally, and urged ginger farmers to be more dedicated to their farming endeavors.
