Kaduna Ginger Farmers Devastated By ₦10 Billion Fungal Loss

News in brief:
- Nigeria’s ginger farmers in Kaduna state suffered over ₦10 billion in losses in 2023 due to a fungal infection.
– This loss prompted the President of the SHE Farmers Initiative, Temitope Ande, to call for a comprehensive, stakeholder-driven approach and collaboration between governments, communities, and research institutions to address such challenges.

Temitope Ande, President of the SHE Farmers Initiative revealed that Nigeria’s ginger farmers in Kaduna state suffered a devastating blow in 2023, with over ₦10 billion in losses due to a fungal infection that ravaged their crops.

In a statement to newsmen, she urged relevant authorities to adopt a more comprehensive, stakeholder-driven approach to supporting agricultural ventures in the face of such challenges.

Ande also underscored the need for collaboration between various stakeholders, including federal and state governments, local communities, and research institutions.

Furthermore, she cited the Kaduna disaster as a stark example of the consequences of neglecting these partnerships. She revealed that the ginger farmers’ crops were infected by fungi that devastated their production, and lost over N10 billion in ginger production last year.’

The SHE Farmers Initiative advocated for replicating successful government initiatives. Ande said these includes the dry season wheat farming program in regions like Kaduna South and highlighted the potential of dry season ginger farming as a lucrative foreign exchange earner for Nigeria.

The food security expert also revealed that exportation of a container of ginger was about ₦20 million in 2023 and the coming season is going to cost about ₦35 million.

With increasing demand for Nigerian ginger highlights the importance of protecting and bolstering its production. Food security analysts like Ande recommends prioritising collaboration among relevant stakeholders to  help safeguard the livelihoods of farmers. This move is seen as especially important in securing a prosperous future for Nigeria’s agricultural sector.