Nigeria tackles ginger blight with N1.6bn intervention

The Federal Government of Nigeria has allocated N1.6bn towards an intervention fund aimed at combating ginger blight, a disease impacting one of the country’s key agricultural exports. Fredrick Nwabufo, Special Assistant on Public Engagement to President Bola Tinubu, revealed the initiative on his X handle, highlighting it as a measure to fortify the nation’s food supply and agricultural resilience. According to Nwabufo, this initiative is part of a comprehensive strategy that includes the provision of N1.6bn to support affected farmers, alongside the distribution of pesticides and fungicides to combat the pest infestation threatening the ginger crop. He underscored the importance of agriculture and food security within President Tinubu’s policy framework, emphasizing food as a fundamental necessity. He elaborated on food security as a cornerstone of national security, with the government’s role extending to safeguarding the populace from hunger. The N1.6bn intervention aligns ...