Nigeria takes action against ginger blight with USD 952,000 intervention

NIGERIA – The Federal Government of Nigeria has allocated N1.6 billion (USD 952,000) to combat ginger blight, a devastating disease affecting one of the country’s primary agricultural exports.

This initiative, announced by Fredrick Nwabufo, Special Assistant on Public Engagement to President Bola Tinubu, is part of a broader strategy aimed at strengthening food security and protecting Nigeria’s agricultural resilience.

Nwabufo took to social media to highlight the N1.6bn (USD 952,000) intervention fund, emphasizing the importance of this measure in supporting affected farmers.

“Agriculture is crucial to our nation’s economy and food security,” he stated. “We must protect our farmers and their crops to prevent hunger and ensure a stable food supply.”

As part of the intervention, the government will distribute pesticides and fungicides to ginger farmers to help them manage the blight and mitigate the damage.

This assistance is seen as a key step in preserving Nigeria’s status as one of the world’s top producers of ginger.

Nwabufo underlined that food security is closely tied to national security. “We cannot afford to neglect agriculture,” he said, adding that “protecting our food systems from diseases like ginger blight is essential to ensuring that our people do not face hunger.”

The intervention aligns with ongoing initiatives by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security to boost agricultural production and long-term sustainability.

These efforts include increased support for farmers through training programs, access to improved seeds and fertilizers, and the promotion of dry season farming to stabilize food prices.

Beyond the ginger blight intervention, the government has launched several other measures to strengthen Nigeria’s agricultural sector.

Nwabufo pointed to the success of the dry season farming initiative, which has already supported over 107,000 farmers and resulted in the production of nearly 475,000 metric tonnes of wheat.

In addition, the government has suspended duties on essential food imports to curb rising food prices. These policies are part of a broader push to ensure food availability for Nigerians at affordable prices.

The government’s efforts are not limited to crop farming. Significant investments have been made in livestock production, with the distribution of vaccines and the establishment of veterinary health centers.

Training on biosecurity and antimicrobial resistance for livestock farmers has also been prioritized to ensure a holistic approach to food security.

Aliyu Abdullahi, Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, emphasized the importance of agricultural insurance to protect farmers from the financial devastation of crop failures.

“Without insurance, farmers risk losing everything after just one or two bad harvest seasons,” Abdullahi said during a recent workshop in Abuja.

The ginger blight outbreak has severely impacted farmers in Nigeria, particularly in Kaduna, where over 90% of the ginger harvest was destroyed in 2023.

This resulted in financial losses totaling N12 billion (USD 7.57 million). Farmers without insurance were hit hardest, with many left struggling to continue farming.

The government’s intervention is seen as a lifeline for ginger farmers, offering them the support they need to recover from the blight and return to production.

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