Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, said his administration invested N3.6 billion in the procurement of fertiliser and other farming inputs for farmers in the state.

Mr Mutfwang disclosed this during a New Year State Broadcast on Wednesday in Jos.

The governor said that the investment was aimed at boosting food production and other agricultural activities in the state.

He stated, “Our administration has so far invested over N3.6 billion in the purchase and distribution of fertilisers and other farming inputs to boost food production. A database of over 300,000 farmers has been collected and we have designed an online input distribution system to streamline resource allocation, which will be launched soon.’’

The governor noted that his administration made significant improvement toward making Plateau the epicentre of agriculture in the country.

He stated, “We have reached advanced discussions with the African Development Bank to onboard Plateau as a participating state in the development of the Special Agro Processing Zone. BARC Farms has been partially reactivated, with a private investor establishing feedlots; successful trials for wheat, barley, and grasses such as Napier and Brachiaria were conducted, setting the stage for mass production in 2025. The Kuru Livestock Centre is set to be redesigned and construction will commence this January. Through the Agricultural Services and Training Centres, over 6,000 hectares of land have been cultivated to assist displaced communities in returning to their homes and livelihoods.’’

Mr Mutfwang said that an arrangement had been concluded to upgrade the Yakubu Gowon Airport to a cargo airport to facilitate the export of perishable crops and vegetables produced in our state.

He explained that his administration had also established the Plateau Commodity Marketing Company toward addressing challenges in commodity trading, warehousing and market information systems.

“This initiative eliminates the exploitative role of middlemen and ensures that farmers get the true value of their produce. Our efforts to create a friendly economic atmosphere have attracted local and international investors. Agreements have also been signed for the revitalisation of Hill Station Hotel and Plateau Hotel, with the first rooms expected to be ready by December,” he added.

(NAN)