the Symposium on Wheats for More Tropical Environments - cimmyt

56Wheat Production Status, Constraintsand Research Priorities in NigeriaA.M. Falaki, Institute for Agricultural Research,Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, NigeriaWith <strong>the</strong> steady rise in income,consumption of wheat in Nigeria hasrecently increased considerably.Surveys show that <strong>the</strong> eating of breadhas spread, even to rural areas. In1982, consumption of wheat wasestimated at an average of 60 gramsper person per day (22 kg/year), withmajor towns averaging 210g/person/day (77 kg/year). In terms of<strong>the</strong> drain on <strong>the</strong> nation's foreignexchange. it has been estimated that, in1982, wheat and wheat flour importsinto Nigeria totaled 1.425 million tons.valued at USS 290 million (Table 1).The bulk of <strong>the</strong> wheat now grown in<strong>the</strong> country is on irrigated land. Thearea under wheat cultivation is about15,000 hectares. yielding on average2.5 to 3 t/ha. At present. <strong>the</strong> totalproduction of wheat is about 40.000tons, which is eqUivalent to about 2.6%Table 1. Wheat and wheat flour imports,Nigeria, 1973 to 1982Year1973197419751976197719781979198019811982Quantity(000 tons)304.0323.4407.5732.4719.7800.6928.01000.02352.01452.0Cost(million US$)42.577.682.5147.3144.6162.3187.2205.4277.1290.0Source: Nigeria Trade Summary (1973­82), Federal Office of Statistics,Lagos, Nigeriaof <strong>the</strong> country's requirements; Nigeria'scurrent annual wheat needs are inexcess of 1.5 million tons.From <strong>the</strong> consumption and productionstatus. it is obVious that <strong>the</strong>re is a biggap between supply and demand ofwheat in Nigeria. In an effort to arrest<strong>the</strong> dWindling foreign reserve position,to which <strong>the</strong> importation of wheatcontributes. Nigeria has embarked on aprogram of wheat cultivation in areaswhere growth conditions for <strong>the</strong> cropare suitable. As a result. <strong>the</strong>government has decided to put 50% of<strong>the</strong> irrigable land under wheatcultivation in <strong>the</strong> nor<strong>the</strong>rn Guinea andSudan savanna areas of <strong>the</strong> country(estimated at 345,000 hectares whenfully developed).Constraints toWheat ProductionLandLand is <strong>the</strong> most critical constraint onwheat production in Nigeria. Since <strong>the</strong>crop is grown under irrigation. only <strong>the</strong>limited land cleared and developed forirrigation by <strong>the</strong> various governmentmanagedriver basin projects isavailable for wheat cultivation. Unless<strong>the</strong> government accelerates <strong>the</strong>expanSion of <strong>the</strong> irrigation schemes.land will remain a major constraint onwheat production, since local farmersare in no financial position to developland for irrigation.TemperatureWheat is grown almost entirely during<strong>the</strong> harmattan period (November toFebruary), when night temperatures-aresufficiently low for adequate tillering.The main factor which prevents <strong>the</strong>extension of <strong>the</strong> crop southward in