CURRENT STATUS OF

WHEAT RESEACH AND

PRODUCTION IN NIGERIA

– IMPLICATIONS FOR

FOOD SECURITY

BY

M. D. MAGAJI,

B. Y. ABUBAKAR AND

O.G. OLABANJI

Introduction In Nigeria, wheat cultivation dates back to the

16th century, when wheat was cultivated on

small plots and pockets of inland valley soils

(fadama), using local cultivars that were tall

(1.2m), late maturing (150 DAS) and low

yielding (300 – 600 kg/ha).

Wheat is presently produced commercially in

Nigeria under irrigation conditions within

latitudes 10o – 14oN where night temperatures

during most of the growing period (November –

March) range from 15oC to 20oC M A G A J I E T A L . , 2 0 1 2 2

INTRODUCTION

The mean maximum temperature

ranges from 30o to 35oC during the

growing period of November to

March each year.

The wheat areas cover mainly

Sudan/Sahelian zones of Borno,

Yobe, Bauchi, Jigawa, Kano,

Zamfara, Katsina , Sokoto, Kebbi

and Adamawa States M A G A J I E T A L . , 2 0 1 2 3

POLITICAL MAP OF NIGERIA

M A G A J I E T A L . , 2 0 1 2 4

ectects

To increase wheat Production, there is the need to expand

areas under production and increase the yield of varieties

through breeding and management

Other potential avenue for increasing the area under wheat

production is production under rain-fed conditions on the

highland areas of the Country: Mambila-Plateau in

Taraba, Jos- Plateau in Plateau and Obudu in Cross

Rivers States, respectively.

• Rain-fed wheat on the highlands of Nigeria could increase

the much desired output as well as reduce production cost

to a greater extent and shorten the breeding cycle for

developing irrigated wheat varieties as two or more crops

can be grown annually under irrigated and rain fed

conditions.

M A G A J I E T A L . , 2 0 1 2 5

In s

Despite of the bright prospects and enormous potential of

wheat production in Nigeria, there are challenges such as,

changes in agricultural policies by different regimes, poor

marketing channels and inadequate remuneration to

farmers for their produce.

The first major government intervention in Nigeria’s

agricultural development was in 1959 when irrigation

schemes were developed in the Northern parts of the

country, which attracted appreciable number of farmers to

start to grow wheat on any scale; and scientists to develop

improved wheat varieties that are short, early maturing,

high yielding and of good bread-baking qualities to cope

with increasing local demand.

M A G A J I E T A L . , 2 0 1 2 6

Between 1971 and 1981, agricultural import bills, including

those of wheat increased 13-fold from US $192 million to

US $450 million.

Decline in wheat importation began in 1987 when

Government launched Accelerated Wheat Production

Programme (AWPP) in order to stimulate local production

and encourage backward integration, which gradually led

to outright ban on importation of wheat into the Country.

With the lifting of the ban on importation of wheat in 1993,

the production figures declined to 50,000 tones from a total

area of 40,000 hectares.

M A G A J I E T A L . , 2 0 1 2 7

Economic Importance of Wheat

Wheat in Nigeria is mainly used for bakery and confectionery; it is also

used for domestic pastries and local dishes. Wheat meals are recently

gaining popularity in our restaurants. Recently, Nigerian grown wheat

is being imported by its neighboring countries of Cameroun and Chad

as cash crop.

Since the ban on wheat importation in 1987, production figures

and area planted with wheat increased considerably.

During this period, wheat production increased from 400, 000 to 600,

000 tones of from 215, 000 hectares.

The estimated local demand for wheat stands at about 3.7 million

metric tones annually, while its current annual production ranges from

50, 000 – 60, 000 metric tones.

M A G A J I E T A L . , 2 0 1 2 8

RESEARCH FOR DEVELOPMENT

• Some of the challenges confronting wheat

production in Nigeria are :

• Development of heat tolerant wheat

varieties that are high yielding

• Development of rain-fed wheat cultivars

that are tolerant/resistant to high

temperatures, humidity, pests and

diseases

• The promotion of wheat as a staple food

and market outlets for surplus produce. M A G A J I E T A L . , 2 0 1 2 9

Wheat research dates back to 1959, when

local germplasm materials were collected by

scientists .

These materials were evaluated and some

promising lines identified.

Introductions from CIMMYT were found to

be more promising than the local cultivars

as they matured early, were short in stature

and yielded higher (Table 1).

M A G A J I E T A L . , 2 0 1 2 10

TABLE1: WHEAT VARIETIES RELEASED AND REGISTERED

IN NIGERIA

Name of Variety Original Name Origin/Sourc

e

Developing

Institution

Outstanding

Characteristics

Year of

Release

SAM-WHIT-1 TOUSSON CIMMYT,

Mexico

I.A.R., Zaria Wide adaptability & High

yield.

1965

SAM-WHIT-2 Florence Aurore 8193 - Do - - Do - High yield and good bread

making qualities. 1965

SAM-WHIT-3 Sonora-9.63 - Do - - Do - Good grain qualities and bread

making qualities. 1971

SAM-WHIT-4 LEEX (GB-55) - Do - - Do - High yielding, good bread

making qualities 1971

SAM-WHIT-5 Siette Cerros - Do - - Do - High yielding, general

adaptability. 1975

SAMWHIT-6 PAVON - Do_ -Do- High yield anfd quality 1976

LACRI-WHIT-1 SERI M82 - Do - LCRI, Maiduguri High yielding and good baking

quality. 1997

LACRI-WHIT-2 CEttia - Do - - Do - Early maturing, heat tolerant,

high yielding and good baking

quality.

2005

LACRI-WHIT-3 Linfen - Do - - Do - High yielding, golden yellow

grain 2005

LACRI-WHIT-4 Atilla /Gan/ Atilla - Do - - Do - Medium maturity, heat

tolerant, high yielding and

good bread making quality

2008

M A G A J I E T A L . , 2 0 1 2 11

Lake Chad Research Institute, in

collaboration with CIMMYT has

developed and released improved

wheat varieties that are early

maturing, heat tolerant, high

yielding and better bread baking

qualities (Table 2).

M A G A J I E T A L . , 2 0 1 2 12

ACHIEVEMENTS AND CONTRIBUTION TO NATIONAL ECONOMY

Serial

No

Crop & Name Year of

release

Yield potential

(t/ha)

Adoption rate

(%)

Wheat

1 LACRIWHT-1 (Seri-M82) 1997 3.0 45

2 LACRIWHT-2 (Cettia) 2005 4.0 40

3 LACRIWHT-3 Linfen) 2005 4.0 35

4 LACRIWHT-4 (Atilla-Gan-

Attila)

2008 4.5 50

5 Rainfed Wheat (YD’S’) Proposed 2012 2.5

M A G A J I E T A L . , 2 0 1 2 13

COLLABORATORS

• CIMMYT: Wheat Germplasm exchange

• ICARDA : Barley Germplasm exchange

• ICRISAT: Pearl Millet Germplasm Exchange and

Capacity Building

• NARIs: IAR, NSPRI, IAR&T: Conduct and

supervise multi-locational research projects.

• ADPs/CBARDP: Extension services delivery

• Universities: Conduct and supervise multi-locational

research

• NACGRAB: Registration and release of new

varieties.

M A G A J I E T A L . , 2 0 1 2 14

CETTIA SERI M82

SERI M 82 CETTIA ATILLA GAN ATILLA

M A G A J I E T A L . , 2 0 1 2 15

WHEAT PRODUCTION TREND

Periods Areas cultivated

(ha)

Yield

(kg/ha)

Total production

(MT)

Consumption

(MT)

Early

2000BC

Small plots of

Fadama

300-600

< 1987 25,000 2000 50,000

1988-92 215,000 2700 400,000-600,000

2005 70,000 1250 85,000

2006 63,000 1130 71,000

2007 40,000 1250 50,000 3.7 million

Source FAO 2006 & USDA 2007

Periods Areas cultivated

(ha)

Yield

(kg/ha)

Total production

(MT)

Consumption

(MT)

Early

2000BC

Small plots of

Fadama

300-600

< 1987 25,000 2000 50,000

1988-92 215,000 2700 400,000-600,000

2005 70,000 1250 85,000

2006 63,000 1130 71,000

2007 40,000 1250 50,000 3.7 million

M A G A J I E T A L . , 2 0 1 2 16

M A G A J I E T A L . , 2 0 1 2 17

AVAILABLE TRANSFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES

Serial

No

Crop & Name Yield potential (t/ha)

Wheat

1 LACRIWHT-4 (Atilla-Gan-Attila) 4.5

2 Borlogue 5

Pearl millet

3 LCICMV-3 (SUPERSOSAT) 4.0

4 LCICMH-1 (Hybrid) 4.5

Sorghum

5 Hybrid 3.8

Crop & Name Yield

potential (t/ha)

Wheat 1

LACRIWHT-4

(Atilla-Gan-Attila)

4.5

2

Norman 4.0

M A G A J I E T A L . , 2 0 1 2 18

TRANSFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES

Management practices that

ensures efficient use of water

for irrigation

Measures that mitigate the effects

of heat stress

Evaluation of more heat tolerant

germplasm

M A G A J I E T A L . , 2 0 1 2 19

INPUTS REQUIRED TO ACHIEVE PRODUCTION TARGETS

Land : Expand existing hectarage

Adequate supply of improved quality seeds

Provision of sufficient and quality inorganic and

organic fertilizers

Rapid expansion of irrigation facilities and

resuscitating of existing ones for irrigated crops

Provision of marketing corporations to support

value chains M A G A J I E T A L . , 2 0 1 2 20

SEED PRODUCTION

Lake Chad Research Institute produces high

quality breeder and foundation seeds for seed

companies, state agricultural development

projects (ADPs) and lead farmers, who

produce certified seeds for farmers.

In 2011 and 2012 cropping seasons, about 3

and 7.5 metric tones of breeder and

foundation seeds of wheat were produced,

respectively.

M A G A J I E T A L . , 2 0 1 2 21

EXTENSION SERVICE DELIVERY

• Research-Extension-Farmer-Inputs-Linkage-System (REFILS) provides a platform for linkages among researchers, extension workers, farmers and service providers;

• Agricultural Research Outreach Centres (AROC) is an adopted village concept that aims at strengthening linkages between researchers and their immediate farming communities.

M A G A J I E T A L . , 2 0 1 2 22

The Institute also disseminates its

developed technologies through

annual training, annual research

review and planning meetings.,

radio and television broadcasts,

publication of extension guides,

and bulletins for farmers,

developers and NGOs. M A G A J I E T A L . , 2 0 1 2 23

CHALLENGES

• In spite of the prospects and enormous potentials for wheat production in Nigeria, challenges militating against increased local production for food security are as follows:

• Weak research-extension-farmer linkage system (REFILS) to improve farmers technologies in the agronomy of wheat production.

• Inadequate skill on the use of biotechnological tools for development of improved wheat varieties tolerant to heat, biotic and abiotic stresses.

• Inadequate high yielding heat tolerant varieties

• Inadequate water and inputs management

• Weak training programme for extension agents and farmer which results in application of low level of the technology at farmers level.

M A G A J I E T A L . , 2 0 1 2 24

• Inadequate supply of good quality seeds.

Poor market arrangement and remuneration to

farmers in Nigeria.

• Policy impediments that undermine adoption of

new technologies.

• Lack of micro credit facilities to the farmers

frustrates timely field operations and procurement

of necessary inputs.

• Inadequate farm equipments notably tractor and

combine harvester.

M A G A J I E T A L . , 2 0 1 2 25

Policy Issues •Nigeria requires 3.7 million metric tons of wheat

annually and spends about 635 billion Naira (USD

3.91 Billion ) annually, amounting to about 1.7 billion

Naira daily to import the commodity. Yet, current

local production stands at a meager 50, 000 - 60,

000 metric tones. Consequently, Nigeria is the

world’s largest importer of all classes of U.S. wheat.

•In the short run, Government has put legislation in

place to replace 20% of wheat flour by good quality

cassava flour for bread-baking, thus saving the

country’s foreign exchange by N127 billion annually,

hoping to increase the percentage substitution to

40%, saving up to N354 Billion/annum.

M A G A J I E T A L . , 2 0 1 2 26

•In the long run, Government has made

wheat production one of her priority crops

in its Agricultural Transformation Agenda

(ATA). Effective from 2013, Government

intended to support wheat production and

its value-chain.

Imposition of tariff on wheat importation

by 5% (about N32 Billion),

•As part of the Government’s efforts, the

Research – Extension – Farmer – Input-

Linkage - System (REFILS) shall be

strengthened to improve farmers’

technologies in wheat production.

M A G A J I E T A L . , 2 0 1 2 27

CONCLUSION

• There is great potential for irrigated and rain-fed wheat production in Nigeria, but particularly for the former.

• A large number of wheat lines obtained from CIMMYT is being evaluated to identify adaptable materials.

• Studies on enhancement of wheat production through improved technology development and impacts of innovations on livelihood is currently under way.

• This will not only increase the total wheat output in the country but will enhance national food and nutritional security and generate employment.

M A G A J I E T A L . , 2 0 1 2 28

THANK YOU

M A G A J I E T A L . , 2 0 1 2 29