Alia flags off 2024 cropping season, distributes agricultural inputs to farmers
By Titus Atondu, Makurdi
Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Dr. Hyacinth Alia, has flagged off the 2024 cropping season and distributed agricultural inputs to farmers in the state.
The ceremony took place at the headquarters of the state ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.
Governor Alia described agriculture as the backbone of the state economy and emphasised the need for collective responsibility to ensure the sector thrives.
“Today, we are not only distributing improved seedlings and fertilisers; we are planting the seeds of prosperity and self-sufficiency for our dear people,” he said.
The Governor encouraged young men and women to embrace agriculture, promising to make farming attractive and a viable means of wealth creation.
“Through various initiatives and support systems, we are ensuring that agriculture is seen not just as a profession, but as a gateway to economic empowerment and sustainability,” he stressed.
Governor Alia commended the Federal Government for donating 60 trucks of assorted fertilisers to the state and warned that the inputs are meant for registered genuine and verifiable farmers only.
He also announced that his administration has prioritised the agricultural sector as the lowest hanging fruit to catalyse growth and economic development of Benue State.
The Governor revealed that his administration has renewed strategic partnerships with development partners such as IFAD, RAAMP, and ACReSAL, which has opened up new opportunities for value addition and agro-processing, creating jobs and boosting the local economy.
“We have the resources to turn our agricultural sector into a powerhouse of production and innovation. As I often say, with agriculture, we are too rich to be poor. We have fertile lands, skilled farmers, and a government that is willing to invest heavily in the future of its people,” Governor Alia said.
The Governor enumerated some of the modest transformation recorded by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security within his one year in office, including the resuscitation of the Benue State Swine and Crop Improvement Project.
