Nigeria’s Federal Government confirmed a significant outbreak of ginger blight disease across four states, resulting in substantial losses for farmers. The announcement coincided with the inauguration of the National Ginger Blight Epidemic Control Task Force in Abuja.
Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Aliyu Abdullahi, revealed the outbreak’s impact, highlighting over N12 billion in losses for farmers in southern Kaduna alone. This region represents over 85% of Nigeria’s ginger cultivation, potentially leading to a 70% reduction in cultivated land.
Despite the challenges, Abdullahi announced a N1.6 billion recovery package for affected farmers funded by the National Agricultural Development Fund. He emphasized the importance of preparedness in the agricultural sector, advocating for increased investment in research, extension services, and farmer support systems to ensure long-term sustainability.
Abubakar Abdullahi, Chairman of the newly formed task force committee, acknowledged the negative impact on the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) due to the ginger blight. He stressed the urgency of establishing subcommittees within the task force to address the crisis effectively.
The chairman pledged the team’s commitment to mitigating the situation and requested the Minister’s authorization to co-opt additional members who could bring valuable expertise to the task force.