By Tony John (Port Harcourt), Jude Chinedu (Enugu), Scholastica Hir (Makurdi), Noah Ebije (Kaduna), Olanrewaju Lawal (Birnin Kebbi), George Onyejiuwa and Stanley Uzoaru (Owerri), Jude Dangwam (Jos), John Adams (Minna), Emmanuel Adeyemi (Lokoja), Aniekan Aniekan (Calabar), Okey Sampson (Umuahia), Emmanuel Adeyemi (Lokoja) and Jude Dangwam (Jos)
The commitment shown by the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration to reverse the declining fortunes of the country in the area of food production as a Key Performance Indicator (KPI) of the Renewed Hope Agenda appears to have fired up the state governments.
Coupled with this is the recognition that developing vital infrastructure such as roads and electric power generation, transmission, distribution and supply, which are supportive of agricultural development contribute immensely to overall economic growth of states and the nation at large.
From across the country, our reporters looked at what the states are doing to boost agriculture in this reports.
ENUGU
Enugu State has initiated a focused move to boost the efficiency of smallholders and large-scale commercial farmers as part of efforts to revolutionise agriculture in the state.
The Special Adviser to Governor Peter Mbah on Agriculture, Mike Ogbuekwe, who spoke with Sunday Sun, explained what the state government is doing to achieve this.
He said: “The state government has commenced the farm estate programme, which involves organizing 200 hectares of land in every ward, where farmers will receive one hectare each. A warehouse will be provided on the land, and tractors will be made available to farmers in clusters.
“We are organizing farmers into a more structured system of farming so they can access mechanized farming. At the same time, seeds and other inputs will be supplied to them. They will receive extension services in these clusters, and their products will have access to organized markets. We will link them with buyers. These are the measures we are putting in place.
“This is in addition to the various forms of support the government has been giving farmers through programmes such as the IFAD programme, which provides farmers with machinery, inputs, and training. We also had the APPEALS programme. Currently, we are implementing the FADAMA programme through NG-CARES, supplying farmers with inputs and machines to promote processing and reduce post-harvest losses.
“At the same time, the Enugu State Marketing Company has been revamped to buy off agro-produce from farmers, process and sell to traders and families. We have connected the dots along the value chain, from production, processing to marketing.
“For large-scale farmers the government has created a land bank by negotiating with communities to grant access to their lands. The government acquires the land and provides it to large-scale farmers under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) agreement.
“This ensures they can cultivate without facing challenges from communities, as land access is a significant issue. Additionally, we are reviving our old assets. For example, the palm plantation under United Palm Produce Limited is being rejuvenated with private sector involvement to increase production and generate revenue.
“We are also working on reviving the Sunrise Flour Mills, which was moribund. We have brought in investors to restore it. The flour mill will require grains, so while smallholder farmers are producing, large-scale farmers are being on-boarded to supply the mill. This approach is designed to strengthen the agricultural ecosystem and value chain, making agriculture vibrant.”
On the challenges faced by farmers, Ogbuekwe noted that the state governor, Peter Mbah, recently commissioned a tractor assembly plant in partnership with a Danish company to address the issue of mechanization.
He said: “We have procured 200 tractors from the company. Once the tractors arrive, they will be distributed to farmers.
“Farmers also face security challenges. The government has implemented measures to ensure the next farming season is not disrupted by the usual clashes on farms. We are clustering farmers and implementing fencing solutions such as geo-fencing and bio-fencing, and even using other advanced methods to minimize trespassing on farms.
“We have deployed forest guards, with plans to recruit more personnel to enhance security. Additionally, we are collaborating with the police, army, navy, and DSS to ensure security across the state.”
RIVERS
With a budgetary provision of N31 billion, Rivers State government has indicated its preparedness to strengthen the economy of the state in 2025 through several people-oriented policies and programmes.
The state governor, Siminalayi Fubara, explained that with the set out objectives, the 2025 budget will strengthen the capacity of the state to weather possible external shocks from the volatility of the national economy while building a resilient economy that will advance the collective development and prosperity of the people.
Out of a projected 2025 revenue of approximately N1.189 trillion, Governor Fubara said nearly N31 billion has been allocated to support interventions in agricultural development to ease the implementation of a comprehensive agriculture transformation and support programme for Rivers youths in order to significantly resolve issues of youth unemployment and poverty.
He emphasised that the commitment is also to address food insecurity in the state, provide land preparation, farm inputs and extension services, including training, tractors, and access to improved seedlings and fertilizers to farmers to enhance their productivity and farm yields.
His words: “I wish to reiterate once more that agriculture is at the heart of our business objectives for 2025 because it is imperative for job creation, economic growth to support interventions in agricultural development.
“This sum will enable us to implement a comprehensive agriculture transformation and support programme for our youths and contribute to significantly resolving the challenges of youth unemployment, poverty, and food insecurity in our state.
“We shall provide land preparation, farm inputs and extension services, including training, tractors, and access to improved seedlings and fertilizers to farmers to enhance their productivity and farm yields.
“We will build more rural access roads to enable unimpeded access to farmlands in our rural areas and ease the transportation of farm products to urban markets and existing export terminals.
“We are committed to actualizing the Africa Development Bank’s funded Agriculture Processing Zone Scheme in the state. Furthermore, we are ready to collaborate and provide incentives for private investments in large-scale farming of livestock, fish, cash crops and vegetables for domestic consumption and export.”
Some farmers told Sunday Sun that, apart from the steps, the state government has said it would take to advance agricultural expansion and ensure food security, they need grants from the government.
One of them, Mr Obinna Onyema, said farmers need grants to buy farm tools and seedlings on time, rather than waiting for when the government would start focusing on their needs, noting that bureaucratic bottlenecks often hinder implementation of laudable government initiatives.
BENUE
In Benue, the government said that proactive measures are being put in place to boost the economy of the state, to ensure progress and development of the people.
To this end, Governor Hyacinth Alia said the state is going into full-scale agriculture this year to boost food security. Since he came into office, the governor has ensured timely provision of inputs to farmers and encouraged the establishment of farm groups while empowering them to produce food.
He said that all residents including the youths and internally displaced persons (IDPS) will be mobilized and encouraged to go into farming.
With support of funding partners, the government has been providing displaced persons and host communities with agricultural inputs, training, and resources to resume farming activities. This approach not only ensures food security, but also fosters economic independence and stability.
“We are promoting sustainable and climate-resilient farming techniques to mitigate the impacts of environmental challenges. By adopting these practices, farmers can achieve better yields and contribute to the state’s overall food production,” the governor said.
In addition to these initiatives, efforts are being made to improve access to markets for agricultural produce, ensuring that farmers receive fair value for their labour, which includes developing infrastructure and facilitating connections between farmers and buyers.
Corroborating the Governor Alia’s assertion, the Commissioner for Agriculture, Prof Moses Ogbaji told Sunday Sun that the government has adopted several measures to boost food security.
His words: “First, we are putting emphasis on dry season farming, whereby we want as many farmers as possible to participate in it. Secondly, we are also emphasizing the availability of improved seeds and farm inputs such as fertilizers, seedlings, chemicals, improved herbicides to be available all year round.
“We are also taking the farmers on modern ways of agriculture, showing them early and late maturing varieties of different crops to help them make better choices so that before the dry season prolongs they would harvest their crops. The state government is also giving loans to farmers. There is a N2 billion loan already in the state from the Agricultural Development Bank (ADB) which farmers are preparing to access.”
The Commissioner who noted that land clearing boosts agricultural production said that there is massive land clearing currently ongoing in the state, under the aegis of the National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA), to enable the state begin to cultivate on arable lands.
Ogbaji, a professor of Crop Production also disclosed that the government is introducing drought resistant varieties of all crops that grow in the state, some for free and some at subsidized rates.
However, these laudable initiatives are being threatened by the murderous attacks by marauding, armed herdsmen on farming communities, which has made it very difficult for many farmers to return to their ancestral homes to farm while others are being challenged by communal clashes.
To deal with the security challenges, the government recently launched the Benue State Civil Protection Guard and a joint Task Force operation called “Anyam Nyor,” which means the Lion has entered.
The operatives of the security outfit have been deployed to work with the conventional security forces in the 23 local government areas.
This has made it possible for many IDPs to return to the ancestral homes, resulting in record bumper harvests.
Meanwhile, farmers in the state have expressed joy over the numerous initiatives of the government to improve their work especially with the provision of tractors and inputs.
The immediate past state Chairman of All Farmers Association (AFAN), Aondongu Saaku, said that farmers are pleased with what the government has done so far.
A rice farmer, Mr Mvendaga Michael, said: “We need security for our farmers. We have lost many on the farm and others on their way to or back from the farms while our crops are eaten by cattle. With the new security outfit launched by Governor Alia, we hope that the land will be rid of killer herdsmen so that our people can go home and engage in farming activities without fear of attacks.”
KADUNA
There are indications of a strong resolve by the Kaduna State government to boost agricultural production.
The state’s Commissioner for Agriculture, Murtala Dabo, speaking through the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Abubakar Abba, said that the 9.36 per cent allocation to agriculture in the 2025 budget was the first in the history of the state.
He said the appropriation was also part of an effort to achieve the Maputo Declaration, which recommended a minimum of 10 per cent of annual budgets to the agricultural sector, to tackle Africa’s food security challenges.
“Agriculture is not just a source of livelihood for our people, but a cornerstone of our economy. The sector remains integral to our vision of achieving food security, economic prosperity, and environmental sustainability,” the commissioner said.
For the current year, the state plans to spend about ₦74.02 billion. Of this amount, capital projects are projected to gulp over ₦70 billion, representing 95 per cent, he said.
“These allocations include transformative initiatives such as ₦10 billion for fertilizer and input intervention; ₦40.19 billion for access roads to farms under the Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP), ₦14.17 billion for establishing Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ), and ₦5.11 billion for the Livestock Productivity Resilience Support Project (L-PRES),” he added.
Dabo described the projects as requiring effective coordination and collaboration among all stakeholders, including government agencies, development partners, and private sector actors.
NIGER
In March, 2024, the Niger State governor, Umaru Mohammed Bago took a bold step towards food sufficiency in the state with the formal launching of agricultural revolution by commissioning many mechanized farming machinery, to boost commercial agriculture, to achieve food security.
The farm equipment ordered by the government include 1,000 John Deere tractors of which 300 have been delivered, 500 Case tractors out of which 100 units had been, 500 units of combined harvester with 50 units delivered, 10,000 Hand Tillers for small holder farmers, 10,000 solar irrigation water pumps of which 1000 have been delivered and 1000 Pivot irrigation systems ordered, with 60 already delivered.
Beyond food security, the government wants to create employment for youths in the state, generate revenue and achieve economic growth through cultivation of the state’s massive arable land.
To achieve this, the government would irrigate expansive lands servicing thousands of farmers in clusters. For this purpose the government established a $100 million partnership with a Saudi irrigation firm for both the Batati and the Airport Irrigation Projects.
Niger State has 8.3 million hectares of arable land of which the government proposes to bring 3 million hectares under cultivation. It is also blessed with large water bodies with multitude of tributaries, 23 grazing reserves, and 94 forest reserves.
Regarding other farming inputs, the government procured 200,000 metric tons of NPK/UREA fertilizers, 20,000 tons delivered, 100,000 liters of herbicides, with 10,000 liters delivered and 100,000 liters of pesticides ordered, with 10,000 liters delivered.
He disclosed that through Niger Food Security and Logistics Limited, a state-owned enterprise, the government has embarked on an ambitious land preparation and cultivation programme across the 25 local government areas within the domains of all the eight emirate councils of the state.
However, as laudable as the agricultural programme of the government maybe, security remains a greatest challenge in the state.
For the state to make any meaningful impact in its agricultural revolution programme, the security challenges bedeviling parts of the state must be tackled in an intentional manner.
He pointed out that the government will take a holistic and different approach towards addressing the security challenges in parts of the state which has made life miserable for the people for more than a decade.
Out of the 25 local government areas of the state, eight are under siege and constant attacks from bandits and other terrorist groups in the state.
Significantly, and indeed worrisome is the fact that the eight local government areas under the control of bandits and other insurgents, account for 70 per cent of food production in the state as 90 per cent of the people are predominantly farmers.
The local governments are Shiroro, Munya, Paikoro Rafi, Gurara, Kontagora, Mashegun and Mariga.
For over 10 years now, communities across these local government areas have lost their peace and have abandoned their ancestral homes following incessant attacks from these enemies of the people.
According to Sarkin Kasuwan Zumba (Head of Zumba Market), Mallam Adamu Ahmed, the governor’s initiative towards agriculture and food sufficiency in the state can only be successful if the current security situation in the state is addressed.
He said that 70 per cent of farmers have abandoned their farms and homes due to the activities of the bandits and other insurgents, adding: “Today I can count over 20 communities in Shiroro Local Government Area that the people have fled their homes and are not ready to go back because of frequent attacks by bandits.”
Mallam Ahmed stressed that “nothing can be achieved without the security of lives and properties of the people.”
Also, the youth leader of Zagzaga community in Munya Local Government Area, Comrade Yahuza Mohammed said that the community remained one of the most terrorized by bandits in Munya local government area since 2015 with the attendant loss of lives and property, adding that the hitherto farming community is now a ghost community.
He stated that any government effort towards agriculture must first of all take into consideration the issue of insecurity in the state because the forests are currently being occupied by the bandits and other terrorists group.
“The government agricultural policy is quite commendable but the security challenge must be looked into because as we speak, the forests are no-go-areas for now, the forests are still being occupied by the bandits,” he said.
However, agriculture is not only the area that occupied the attention of the state government in its quest to reposition the state towards economic growth as the government recently took a historic step towards ensuring stable power supply in the state, by signing into law a bill passed by the state assembly for the establishment of the Niger State Electricity Regulatory Commission aimed at operating an independent power plant to guarantee steady power supply for economic growth.
KEBBI
Farmers in Kebbi State, since inception of the Governor Nasir Idris administration have continued to receive free farm inputs such as fertilizers, pumping machines, pesticides and other inputs from the government to boost food production in the state.
For instance, the state government distributed bags of fertilizer worth more than N2 billion to farmers across the 21 local government areas.
In addition, to boost dry season rice farming, motorised pumping machines and improved rice seeds worth over N7 billion were given to the 48,000 registered farmers as part of measures to curb food insecurity.
Addressing the farmers at the commencement of the distribution of the agricultural inputs, Governor Idris said that implementation of Kaura Cares Programme was not only timely, but also essential.
His words: “The programmes under my administration witnessed 300 per cent growth. This is a testament to the utilization of resources for the programme. It was not a surprise to us that our state was ranked the 5th in the country and I have no doubt that at the end of this cycle, when our performance is checked again, we will be the number 1 in the country.
“It is worthy of mention that under the components of the programme we are launching today, we would be reaching out to over 48,000 farmers with free agriculture inputs so that they could maintain food production and food security.
“We are doing this intervention in fulfillment of our campaign promises to the citizens of our state, so that our farmers maintain food production and sustain food security. Under my administration, no farmers will be left behind. I recognize that we have comparative advantage in agriculture and everything will be done to ensure that we give it the right position it deserves.
“In this first round, the implementation of the inputs, we earmarked the sum of over N4 billion to be distributed to farmers as agricultural inputs and services. Similarly, we would distribute agricultural assets worth over N3 billion to our dedicated farmers to boost their production, so that the farmers’ yields could be multiplied.”
Sunday Sun gathered that the state would procure 100 truckloads of fertiliser for distribution to farmers, while the local governments, combined, will distribute 110 truckloads of the commodities, free to farmers.
“We distributed likewise last year, and this facilitated the facilitated bumper harvest in Kebbi State. Farmers must continue to use the items judiciously. Nobody should be seen in the market selling government provided fertilizer. Our security agencies have been mandated to maintain surveillance, arrest and prosecute all violators of the order,” the governor warned.
Similarly, to protect dry season crops from the menace quela birds, the Federal and Kebbi State governments have collaborated to conduct aerial spray of the birds across the councils sharing boundary with Niger Republic.
Quela birds and grasshoppers invade and devastate farmlands, but the governor reiterated the determination of his administration to prevent the occurrence this year.
As part of the holistic programme to ensure preservation of foods and industrialization in the state, the governor visited GB Food in Spain recently, where he solicited the support of the company in agro-industrial development of the state.
Also giving insight on the efforts of the state government, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Alhaji Shehu Mu’azu, disclosed that about N350 million was provided as counterpart funding for the Rural Access and Agriculture Marketing Programme (RAAMP), leading to the setting up of two agro-logistics hubs in Argungu and Fakai local government areas.
Mu’azu explained that the payment would enable the state receive about N20 billion under the RAAMP, to link up major agro-produce areas and farm settlements to the towns and cities, to reduce the cost of production, thereby reduce high cost of food.
“Under the RAAMP programme, 240km roads were identified for spot improvement, upgrading and routine maintenance. And so far, contract process for the first phase has been concluded and awarded.”
Through its actions and plans, Mu’azu noted, the government is targeting to reduce prices of goods sold in the state.
Already, Wacot Rice Mill in Argungu and GBC Food in Gafara have been identified to be used for the processing of onion powder and pepper powder.
The Commissioner also disclosed that 30,000 rice farmers, 7,500 maize farmers and 2,000 cassava farmers have been mobilized to participate in the Federal Government dry season farming and would be assisted by the state government.
He said that the state government had procured 10,000 units of LNG compatible irrigation pumps, 300 power tillers and 300 motorised pump sprayers given to farmers’ cooperatives.
IMO
In Imo, out of the sum of N802 billion budgeted for 2025, and intended to fund economic expansion, only a paltry sum of N74 billion was provided for the Ministry of Power and Electrification, which ordinarily should power the state’s industrial growth.
The budgeted amount represents 9.223 per cent of the total amount.
In the same way, N50 billion (6.23 per cent) budgeted for the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.
Keen observers in the state have dismissed the allocations to these critical sectors as grossly inadequate to tackle the enormous problems or even expand the economy of the state which they said has been stagnating
National Vice Chairman (South East) of the Africa Democratic Congress, Mr Chilos Godsent, said that a critical analysis of the budget shows that it lacks the strength and capacity to effectively address many of the challenges confronting the state, especially in the areas of agriculture, education and security.
Godsent opined that the allocation to agriculture (which should be a mainstay) the N49.6 billion provided for the Education sector fell far short of the 26 per cent benchmark recommended by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) for funding education by both the national and sub-national governments.
On the issue of insecurity which continues to hamstring development in the state, Godsent said: “The Imo State government should come up with a clearcut blueprint of programmes on how to effectively address the prevailing insecurity this year, to drastically reduce the number of casualties caused by both state and non-state actors. The government should systematically reorganize the existing state-funded security architecture and provide adequate training and funding for the operatives.
“The government dialogue with leaderships of the identified armed self-determination groups in state to achieve peaceful disarmament, reconciliation and reintegration of repented ex-combatants.”
Despite the reservations of Godsent over the budgetary allocation to agriculture, officials of the government argued that the state has done much to improve on agriculture. The government, they opined, provided incentive to farmers to enable them have large food supplies, but were confronted with enormous challenges.
The Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Cosmos Maduba, had attributed most of these challenges to destruction of crops by marauding herdsmen and the incessant activities of gunmen activities. However, the state government has not deterred from supporting the farmers.
He said: “Putting these factors together the direct consequential effects is that we have shortages of food produced by the farmers and its distribution. These collectively have constituted a major challenge to government of Imo State and her citizens.
“The government is very concerned about these challenges and through the instrumentality of this office a lot of efforts have been put in place to mitigate further deterioration of the situation. A lot of help in terms of food supply and provisions have been ongoing, some are finished products that we can consume as food items and some of the assistance we see from the centre which includes some inputs given to farmers to encourage them to go back and get working.
“So in the area of finished products we have supplies of rice, maize, garri and other consumables.
“The state government of Imo State in collaboration with federal agencies procures agricultural inputs and distributes to the farmers. For instance, we have successfully done three activities with FADAMA which is run through ADP.”
KOGI
The Kogi State government under the leadership of Governor Usman Ododo has taken some bold initiatives to better the lots of its citizens especially on the economy, infrastructure, agriculture, health and education.
The state government has commenced processes leading to the establishment of a special economic zone with the status of a free trade zone to be located in the Ajaokuta economic development corridor in the state.
It was learnt that the establishment of a special economic zone in the state is necessary to harness the abundant natural resources and to maximize the economic potential of the state given its strategic location as a connecting point between the North and the southern part of Nigeria.
The governor stressed that the proposed special economic zone will transform the state into a major hub for economic activities in the country as well as creating thousands of jobs opportunities for Nigerians.
Under Governor Ododo’s leadership, the agricultural sector has also witnessed some growth.
Through the Agricultural Expansion Initiative, over 10,000 farmers are said to have been empowered with access to improved seeds, fertilizers, and mechanized equipment.
This , it was learnt, has resulted in a 25 per cent increase in agricultural productivity, positioning Kogi State as a leading producer of staple crops like cassava and rice.
Establishing the Kogi State Agro-Processing Centers has also created opportunities for over 2,000 direct and indirect jobs, enhancing the value chain for local farmers.
According to Kingsley Fanwo, the state information commissioner, “the Ododo administration is also committed to ensuring that all the seven smaller markets in Lokoja are brought under one roof through the new Lokoja Ultra Modern Market.”
This, he said, will help in having a cleaner and safer Lokoja.
This idea of concentrating all the seven markets in a place is however being frowned at by traders and citizens who questioned the rationale behind a state capital like Lokoja having a single market.
However, people spoken to by our Correspondent especially farmers said the state government has not done enough to increase the food productivity in the state aimed at bringing down food prices.
They said all the agriculture programmes and policies are merely on papers and the real farmers have not been given incentives, loan facilities or farm implements to help them.
Cross River
Cross River State is addressing power shortages with new plans for energy generation, including state-owned plants and discussions on hybrid power solutions, while the Agriculture Department is also advancing with digital soil mapping and agricultural initiatives.
In the agricultural sector, the state has been witnessing a silent revolution over the past one year.
To fully harness the rich potential, the government engaged experts to carry out digital soil mapping and fertility survey across the state.
From the exercise, it was discovered that Cross River State has about 27 soil types.
The report highlighted the fertility level of the different soil, suitable crop type and recommended the appropriate fertilizers for the different soil types.
Cross River State has a comparative advantage in a number of crops including cassava, cocoa, oil palm and rice and seems to be leveraging on it.
In the Oil Palm sub-sector, for instance, the government is developing a 3.5 million oil palm nurseries in the state and 13 sites across the state haven been chosen for the project.
The government has also granted approval to procure 108 units mini tractors to support small holder farmers and boost efforts towards commercial agriculture.
Johnson Ebokpo, the state Commissioner for Agriculture said the tractors which will be distributed to six youths cooperatives of 10 members each in all the 18 Local Government Areas of the state is projected to create 1,080 direct jobs, 1,200 indirect jobs and improve livelihood for an estimated 2,700 rural households.
In cocoa, there are ongoing preparations for extension of the Small Holder Cocoa Development scheme to include development of new Cocoa Estates in Akamkpa, Akpabuyo, Odukpani, Obubra, Ikom, and Bekwarra Local Government Areas and regeneration of the existing ones.
However, Cross River has ventured into wheat cultivation and it’s still unclear if it has comparative advantage in this area.
The state joined the National Agricultural Growth Scheme and Agro-Pocket programme and 500 wheat farmers in the state are expected to cultivate at least 500 hectares of land for its cultivation.
It’s still unclear how far the state will go in this direction and the results will trickle in from February where the dry season wheat farming must have been concluded in the state.
The present administration in the state appears to be taking a different path from its predecessor by focusing on areas of its comparative advantage.
The previous administration in the state, for instance, started agric projects like the banana plantation in Odukpani and it never saw the light of the day and remains a still birth endeavour.
Venerable Augustine Oqua, the Cross River State coordinator of the Cassava Value Chain said the major challenge in the sector is demand and supply.
He emphasized that while demand is very high, supply is very low.
He welcomed the initiatives the government has put in place in the area of irrigation, saying this will help ensure dry season farming which will ultimately bridge the supply gap.
PLATEAU
Plateau State government has described agriculture as one of the great potential the state has that will drive the economic emancipation of the state especially with the coming on board of the Special Agro Processing Zone by the African Development Bank.
The Special Agro Processing Zone is born out of the comparative advantage of the state in the area of agriculture in the country. An intervention the state is targeting to create thousands of jobs opportunities attracting multibillion naira businesses in the value chain of agriculture the governor considered as a priority to be accomplished by his administration.
Governor Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang disclosed that the state’s farmland, BARC Farm located in Bassa local government area of the state has been put into use in the area of feedlots for animal husbandry with a target of maximizing the land in the coming farming season.
“We have begun to unlock the value of BARC Farm, we have given 500 hectares out for cattle feedlot and we are giving another 1,000 hectares for grains. Our target is that by the end of this year, we will know the total area we can cultivate and we will be able to estimate the quantity we can bring in.
“So, if there is any time you can invest in agriculture, the time is now; I want every piece of arable land on the Plateau to be occupied with a product this year.
“Some of you have large compounds to grow other food crops. Modern technology has thought us that you don’t need a large farm before you can farm yam or potatoes, you can do it even in sacks behind your house.
“The abattoir is one low hanging fruit we are making good use of this this year so that we can began to export beef because we want to key into the Halal market, we also have fishery. So, we are going to split the ministry of agriculture so that we can have the ministry of animal husbandry,” Mutfwang reiterated.
The state’s potential in agriculture cannot be complete without a stable power supply.
“The state last year December issued Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) to the Niger Delta Power Holding Company for the establishment of power plant in the Southern and Central zones of the state among other state legislation on energy to boost power generation that will drive industrialization as well as cottage industries across the state.
“In other for us to achieve our desires are plans in the agricultural sector, we need power. We have signed a MoU with the Rural Electrification Agency with business investors also who are willing to build mini-grid. NESCO did a board reorganization and the MD of PIPC has now become the Chairman of NESCO, this has given us opportunity to reorganize NESCO and in the next one year new investment will go into NESCO.
“NESCO as you know has an installed capacity of about 26-megawatts, because at the moment is only 6-megawatts. So, by the time we ramp up generation and invest in the installations and distribution, a lot of things concerning energy will become a thing of the past. We are in talks with Transmission Company of Nigeria and the Niger Delta Power Holding Company to be able to extend the 132KV they talked about from the Pankshin down station to the whole of Central and southern Plateau zones which are not connected to 132KV by the grace of God this 2025,” Mutfwang assured citizens of the state.
Speaking at during the flag off exercise for Langtang North/Langtang South Federal Constituency as well as Qua’an Pan/Mikang/Shendam Federal Constituency in the Southern Senatorial Zones of the state,Commissioner for Agriculture, Hon. Samson Bugama said: “As part of this, we have approved the establishment of a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV). The Plateau Commodity Marketing Company Limited (PLACOM) which will spearhead the marketing of Plateau state’s produce for both local and international markets.
“This company will not only buy produce from farmers at harvest but will also manage post-harvest processes, facilitate access to finance and connect farmers with. Raider markets. This is a transformative step for the benefits of smallholder farmers our economy.”
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Commodity Marketing and Food Security, Hon. Ezekiel Davou noted that key objectives of the company is to promote and sustain the marketing of commodities from Plateau State.
He also that it is “to enhance agricultural and solid mineral productivity by effectively managing supply chains and to foster the formation of cooperative societies for farmers as well as developed and utilize warehouse infrastructure for post-harvest management.”
The Plateau State Agriculture Development Agency (PADP) in 2024 planted 5,000 seedlings of palm oil, and about a thousand seeds of coconut.
The state is also planning to venture into grapes farming that will lead to establishment of wine industry in the state, an opportunity the governor encouraged farmers to also cash into.
ABIA
From all indications, Abia State is poised for a better and robust economy in 2025.
As a part of the agricultural programme for this year, the government said it has given loans to farmers in the state, including those it trained at the CSS Farm in Nasarawa State.
Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr Cliff Agbaeze, said the trained farmers will train three others each, while the state will also train more to continue its multiplier effect.
Agbaeze stressed the commitment of the Otti administration to making agriculture a fulcrum of its economic development and job creation programme, adding that the government intended to mainstream modern agricultural practices into the educational curriculum beginning from the basics.
With over 3,620 square kilometers of arable land, only a negligible proportion of farmlands have been cultivated.
Under the Otti administration, Agbaeze assured, the plan is to transition from subsistence farming state to commercial agriculture.
“With the involvement of foreign investors in the agriculture sector, all the forests that kidnappers have made their hideouts would be cleared for farming”, he said.
EKITI
Like its counterparts, Ekiti State has geared up to ramp up agricultural production this year and to invest in other necessary infrastructural facilities to boost the economy.
Commissioner for Information, Rt. Hon. Taiwo Olatubosun, explained the steps taken so far by the government while noting that the administration of
Governor Biodun Oyebanji is intentional and committed to enhancing the lot of the people this year and beyond.
“We have started distributing inputs and farm implements such as improved seeds, chemicals, herbicides, and equipment that can assist farmers. Under the tractorization policy, the government provides 50 percent discount to farmers, particularly in the areas of harrowing and ploughing, as a form of farming subsidy. If a farmer has five hectares of land, the government will plough and harrow two and a half of such land. We encourage private individuals to bring in tractors and government in turn will subsidize because government try as much as possible not to invest in buying tractors directly for reasons of maintenance and sustainability, it is a way of attracting investors to come and invest in tractor provisions as well.
The government has encouraged cluster farming, whereby it clears large expanse land ranging from 10kms and above for people free of charge. For cluster farmers, the government provides accommodations, seedlings, tools, vehicles and security.
In pursuing the agricultural programme of the state, Olatubosun said it avoided white elephant projects, but focused on massive cultivation of crops where it enjoys comparative advantage.
“We have an agriculture map that demarcates the state into different zones based on the soil in that area. What we are doing in Ekiti is an all-round agricultural practice where we take comparative advantage of the soil in different locations to produce some farm products that are good in that area. I mean, after testing the soil, we know the kind of crop that can grow well on that soil. If you go to Irepodun/Ifelodun there are places that are good for growing rice, cassava and maize; in Ekiti West, there are places where we are growing tomatoes and other species of such product there. If you move to Ikere, we have yam plantation there. If you go to Eporo, we have cassava and maize there. If you go to Oke-Ako and Irele where we have farm settlement as well, we are planting cassava, maize and even beans there. At Ayede-Igede, we have cassava, maize and beans there as well, and on and on like that. With the kind of land God has blessed us with in Ekiti, we can plant different types of products on different locations. Cocoa can grow well on our land, even palm trees and so many other things,” Olatubosun said.
He further said: “As we are doing that, we are equally ensuring that we are constructing roads to farm locations as well as ensuring that we strategically invest in all the road networks across Ekiti such that we can access those farms, to bring the farm produce to the main markets. We are also providing security as well because it has become a thing of the past in Ekiti now as against the time we used to have flashes of kidnappings. By clearing most of our arable land that are good for cultivation, we are equally sending away kidnappers and bandits.”
Strategic to agro-processing and general economic growth is the fundamental issue of power which is at the core of industrial development. For years, people in Ekiti were under the thumb of the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC), which delivered extremely poor or no service at all to widespread areas of the state which were off the national grid. To redress this, began to connect communities at its own cost to the national grid by distribution cables, electric poles and transformers, among other things. Over 40 communities which hitherto were in darkness, for 10 to 15 years have been put back on the national grid, thereby impacting social and economic lives of mechanics, tailors, hairdressers, and welders, among others.
Equally important, the state has keyed into the World Bank funded Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP), as a strategic investment in road networks, to facilitate transport of farm produce to the cities as well as ensure adequate security on the farms and roads.
Meanwhile, Vice Chairman (Arable Crops) of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Ekiti State and Secretary-General, South West Commodity Farmers Organization (Ekiti State Chapter), Mr Bamisaye Omoyajowo, told Sunday Sun: “The major challenges in agriculture in Ekiti State is lack of agricultural inputs, tractors and other allied implements like slasher, plough, harrow, planter and boom sprayers. Lack of the enumerated vital equipment hinders increase in farmers holding (hectrage), hence encourages peasantry and discourages full agribusiness.
“Rural access roads are impassable during the rains hence we suffer serious post-harvest losses, sometimes bridges are cut off, sizeable harvest are left on the farm till when the weather is favourable. The price of seeds and seedlings are very high and not available or certified. We contend with attacks and kidnapping by herdsmen just as their cattle ravage farms at the point of harvest. Buyback of farmers produce will not only ensure food security, it will eliminate wastages and losses as well as ensure steady income commensurate with their labour.”
PLATEAU
For the Plateau State government, agriculture is a major factor in the state’s drive for economic emancipation, especially with the coming on board of the Special Agro Processing Zone funded by the African Development Bank, to enable the state benefit from its comparative advantage.
When it takes off, it will create thousands of job opportunities by attracting multibillion naira businesses in the agriculture value chain.
Towards achieving this goal, Governor Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang has commissioned 20 tractors for farming communities to revitalise the state’s agricultural sector and alleviate poverty, boost food security, food sovereignty and economic empowerment of the state.
At the commissioning ceremony, and disbursement of the Plateau State Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes Project (ACReSAL) Day/CRF held at the New Government House, Little Rayfield, Jos, Mutfwang disclosed that the state government through the Plateau Agricultural Development Programme, had mapped out plans to secure over 200 tractors to further boost agricultural activities.
The Governor while presenting a $250,000 Community Revolving Fund (CRF) cheque to 10 communities, an initiative supported by the World Bank in collaboration with the state government under ACReSAL, said the aim is to provide financial empowerment to rural communities. The first 10 communities to benefit from scheme include Guratop, Kerang, Zamko, Ampang West, Dinting, Jimin, Kaler, Plateau Club /Bingham, Pishe, Yashi, and Wereh communities respectively.
The governor said the initiative is designed to create a revolving financial opportunity for broader community development, and uplift the people, improve their standard of living and reduce poverty.
On the state’s farmland, Governor Mutfwang said: “We have started to unlock the value of BARC Farm; we have given 500 hectares out for cattle feedlot and we are giving another 1000 hectares for grains. Our target is that by the end of this year, we will know the total area we can cultivate and we will be able to estimate the quantity we can bring in.
“If there is any time you can invest in agriculture, the time is now; I want every piece of arable land on the Plateau to be occupied with a crop this year.
“Some of you have large compounds to grow other food crops. Modern technology has thought us that you don’t need a large farm before you can farm yam or potatoes, you can do it even in sacks behind your house.
“The abattoir is one low hanging fruit we are making good use of this this year so that we can begin to export beef because we want to key into the Halal market, we also have fishery. So, we are going to split the Ministry of Agriculture so that we can have the Ministry of Animal husbandry.”
The state’s potentials in agriculture cannot be complete without a stable power supply. The state last year December issued certificate of occupancy (C of O) to the Niger Delta Power Holding Company for boost power generation that will drive industrialization across the state.
The government, Sunday Sun gathered, has moved to upgrade the power station belonging to the Nigerian Electricity Supply Corporation (Nigeria) Limited, NESCO, which currently produces six megawatts and raise the generation to the installed capacity of 26 megawatts.
“By the time we ramp up generation and invest in the installations and distribution, a lot of things concerning energy will become a thing of the past.
“We are in talks with the Transmission Company of Nigeria and the Niger Delta Power Holding Company to be able to extend the 132KV they talked about from the Pankshin step-down station to the whole of Central and Southern Plateau zones which are not connected to 132KV. We are working to finish the project this year,” Mutfwang assured citizens of the State.