Victor Oritedi, head of contract farming and extension services at Flour Mills of Nigeria, said the company has provided farmers in the Nigerian states with certified and high-quality wheat seeds and fertilizers.

“We are happy to be part of this initiative and our driving force is to see how we can develop the integration of the commodity which we use,” Oritedi told PM News. “The largest commodity we use presently in Nigeria is wheat. There are so many challenges surrounding wheat production in Nigeria; so, we have decided to support the initiative by tackling the problem from the root through wheat cultivation for seeds.

“What we noticed is that even if you want to grow wheat in Nigeria, you don’t have enough seeds to engage in the project.”

As part of the initiative, Flour Mills of Nigeria has partnered with local farmers, giving them agronomic support and extension services support.

Depending on the success of the pilot project in Kano and Jigawa, Flour Mills of Nigeria may expand the program to other Nigerian states in 2019, Oritedi said.

Alhaji Salim Muhammad, president of the Wheat Farmers Association of Nigeria, applauded Flour Mills of Nigeria for its work on the project. He said the program could help farmers address the issue of declining seeds availability.