The outbreak of a disease called funģi pathogens in southern Kaduna State is affecting the production of ginger in the area.
The Senate on Tuesday expressed worry over the loss of N10 billion by ginger farmers in Southern Kaduna, Kaduna State, due to an outbreak of a disease called fungi pathogens infection.
The upper chamber, therefore, called for immediate intervention of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Federal Ministry of Agriculture and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) to control the spread of the disease.
This was sequel to a motion moved by Sunday Katung (PDP Kaduna South) seeking an urgent need to address the outbreak of a deadly disease.
Mr Katung said the outbreak of fungi pathogens infection destroyed over 2,500 hectares of farmlands estimated at N10 billion across seven Local Government Areas of southern part of Kaduna State.
He noted that the situation is threatening Nigeria's position on the world chart of ginger production.
Moving the motion, Mr Katung said, "Kaduna State ranks the highest in ginger production in Nigeria, contributing to Nigeria's place as one of the largest producers of ginger in the world, with a production average of more than 300,000 tonnes during the five-year period 2014-2018, and a global market share of about 11 per cent, trailing only India.
"Worried that the 2023 ginger season in Southern Kaduna State has suffered a significant setback due to an outbreak of fungi pathogens infection destroying over 2,500 hectares of farmlands estimated at N10 Billion across seven Local Government Areas of southern Kaduna State, thereby significantly threatening Nigeria's position on the world chart of ginger production.
"Also worried that this devastating and unprecedented ginger pandemic affects Nigeria's non-oil export performance and is already affecting the lives of many individuals within the affected communities of southern Kaduna because ginger is their source of livelihood.
"Disturbed about the public health risks of this deadly disease because research has revealed that organisms that affect plants may develop some sort of host jumping, with the mutation or development of the mechanism switching over to the host, and the pathogen that was earlier infecting plants changing and infecting human beings."
Babangida Husaeini (APC, Jigawa), who seconded the motion, explained that southern Kaduna South produces quality ginger highly rated in the Middle East and other continents.
Titus Zam (APC, Benue North West) also called for the protection of ginger producers in southern Kaduna.
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"People are talking about oil and gas, others are talking about agriculture. It makes sense to support our ginger farmers in Southern Kaduna. It will add more weight for a shift to agriculture," Mr Zam said.
Also, Kelvin Chukwu (Enugu East) said Southern Kaduna is the highest producer of ginger and the third in the world adding that the outbreak of the disease affected the farmers while others collapsed on hearing of the disease.
Darlington Nwokocha (Abia), called for funding for research and development.
"If you go through the budget, you will find out that what we provide for research is too little. As the budget is coming, we have to strengthen the research institution and start on time and tackle this situation before it happens," he said.
The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio expressed appreciation to Mr Katung for presenting the motion at the plenary.
Mr Akpabio urged all concerned government agencies to look at the issues relating to the ginger disease in Southern Kaduna and tackle them.
"NEMA should move in there and provide relief materials," Mr Akpabio said.
The motion was unanimously adopted when it was put to vote by the senate president.
