Agricultural Development for Economic Growth Initiative, in collaboration with the Lower Benue River Basin Development Authority, has organised a Community of Practice – Agriculture in Benue.

AgDEG country director, Joseph Unogwu, stated in Makurdi that the community of practice was a forum designed for agricultural stakeholders to share ideas, compare notes, and synergise to boost agricultural production.

Mr Unogwu said that CoP promotes strong relationships between institutional players in the agricultural space.

The country director stated that the synergy among the stakeholders was sacrosanct, as they were all working towards the same goal – food security and economic development.

“The state ministry of agriculture and food security, Lower Benue River Basin Development Authority, Benue Bureau for Agricultural Development and Mechanisation, donor partners, private sector, farmer groups, research, and academia need to work in unison.

“The unity will enhance visibility of development projects/programmes in the state, which will facilitate government buying and improved understanding and confidence. CoP serves as an information exchange platform for value chain actors to share and disseminate knowledge products, research updates, and learnings, and ensure sustainability.

“It is meant to mainstream a market-systems-oriented extension approach in their delivery to farmers. It is an avenue to augment governments’ efforts to strengthen the public sector agricultural interventions and agencies,” he said.

Mr Onogwu further stated that CoP was to achieve strategic adaptation and alignment of development partners’ implementation with government policies and programmes.

“AgDEG’s vision is to actively promote, nurture, and support small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) and farmer-led private agricultural extension services for vulnerable groups and rural smallholder farmers.

“Our mission is to unlock the full potential of the agricultural sector in contributing to economic development and the growth of rural Nigeria and the West Africa region,” he said.

Benjamin Ashaver, Benue’s agriculture commissioner, said that the state government is committed to ensuring sustainable agricultural practices, improving food security, and enhancing the livelihoods of farmers.

Mr Ashaver, who was represented by Abu Owoicho, deputy director of agricultural services, said that the CoP plays a vital role in shaping the future of agriculture in Benue.

“Your collective expertise, passion, and commitment to best practices are essential in driving innovation, increasing productivity, and promoting sustainable agriculture.

“I encourage you to continue sharing knowledge, collaborating, and innovating to address the challenges facing our agricultural sector. Together, we can achieve food security, improve the lives of our farmers, and contribute to the state’s economic growth,” he assured.

Terese Ninga, managing director of the Lower Benue River Basin Development Authority, pledged continuous collaboration with organisations like AgDEG to boost agriculture in Benue and the other three states under its coverage.

(NAN)