The Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL) has trained 10,016 extension agents and farmer cluster leaders in Jigawa towards ensuring bumper harvest in wheat production.

NIRSAL’s managing director, Abbas Umar, said this known when he briefed journalists in Dutse on Tuesday.

The federal government in November 2023, inaugurated the National Wheat Cultivation scheme in Auyo LGA.

The scheme targets 1,250,000 tonnes of wheat under the NAGS-AP to be cultivated in 100,000 hectares this dry season, 40,000 of which is in Jigawa.

Mr Umar said the training was to support the food security agenda of the federal government.

”NIRSAL is bringing its expertise to bear on Nigeria’s pursuit of a bumper wheat harvest.

“We will train extension agents and farmers under the National Agricultural Growth Scheme and Agro Pocket (NAGS-AP) Jigawa Wheat Cluster Project.

“A total of 355 extension agents and 706 farmer cluster leaders from Kiyawa, Birnin Kudu, Ringim, Hadejia, and Kazaure took part in the first phase of the training sessions,” he explained.

Mr Umar added, “The trainings were held at the four out of the five emirates of the state.”

He explained that beneficiaries of the training would transmit the knowledge and training materials to members of their respective clusters.

Mr Umar said NIRSAL was established to make agriculture a less risky business and facilitate commercial financing for agribusiness in Nigeria.

(NAN)