Hussaini Ibrahim 
Jigawa State Governor, Umar Namadi
JIGAWA, Nigeria – Jigawa State launches a wheat value chain research programme, awarding grants to scholars to strengthen food security and agricultural innovation.
The Jigawa State Government awards research grants to 10 postgraduate scholars as part of a new Wheat Value Chain Research Programme aimed at boosting productivity and evidence-based policymaking.
Governor Umar Namadi launched the initiative on Wednesday at the Government House in Dutse, describing it as a strategic investment in agriculture, the backbone of the state’s economy.
“This initiative is timely, especially amid global food supply pressures,” Namadi says. “Research must drive how we grow, process and add value to wheat.”
The programme supports four PhD and six MSc candidates selected through a competitive process, according to a statement by the governor’s spokesperson, Hamisu Gumel.
Namadi congratulates the beneficiaries, saying their selection reflects academic excellence and readiness to contribute to Jigawa’s agricultural transformation.
“Your work will directly shape our policies and interventions,” he says, pledging government support for implementing research outcomes.
Earlier, Professor Usman Haruna, chairman of the programme’s committee, says Jigawa’s wheat potential remains under-optimised due to limited research capacity and access to improved seed varieties.
“About 80 per cent of our people depend on agriculture. Strengthening research is not optional; it is essential,” Haruna says.
He explains that 36 applications are received, 17 candidates shortlisted and 10 selected after a rigorous evaluation.
The scholars will focus on seed development, irrigation efficiency, productivity and value addition, working with institutions including Federal University Dutse, Bayero University Kano and the Institute for Agricultural Research, Zaria.
Officials say the programme aims to cut wheat imports, raise farmer incomes and improve food security nationwide.
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