Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, has said his administration is investing in agro allied industries as part of efforts aimed at giving farmers reliable markets for their produce and encouraging increased agricultural production across the state.
He assured them that his administration is working to create stronger links between farming, processing and access to markets.
Alia said the government’s decision to revive agro allied industries was aimed at addressing one of the major challenges confronting farmers in Benue, which is the difficulty of finding profitable markets for their harvests.
The governor made the call during his Thank You Tour of Gwer East and Gwer West, where he highlighted the ongoing revival of Taraku Mills as a major component of the state’s agricultural development strategy.
According to Alia, Taraku Mills has commenced test running and is expected to begin full operations soon. He said the return of the facility would give farmers a more dependable outlet for their agricultural produce while reducing the losses that often occur when crops remain unsold after harvest.
He therefore encouraged farmers to see the revival of the mill as an opportunity to expand their farms and increase production, saying the government was taking steps to ensure that increased agricultural output would be matched by processing capacity and market opportunities.
The governor explained that farmers should no longer be forced to sell their produce at unfavourable prices simply because there are insufficient buyers at the end of the farming season. With processing facilities returning to operation, he said, agricultural commodities could be absorbed into the value chain rather than being left to waste.
Alia also commended residents of Gwer East for protecting the equipment at Taraku Mills from vandalism. He said preserving the facility had contributed to the government’s ability to restore it and return it to productive use.
The governor’s agricultural push comes against the background of Benue’s importance as one of Nigeria’s major food producing states. His administration, he said, intends to build an agricultural economy in which farmers do not only produce crops but also benefit from processing, storage and marketing activities.
Rather than concentrating solely on increasing farm output, Alia said the government would continue to pursue investments that connect production with industries capable of adding value to farm commodities.
The approach, he noted, would provide farmers with incentives to cultivate larger areas because they would have greater confidence that their produce could find a market after harvest.
At the Gwer engagement, residents also raised concerns about road infrastructure, including the Makurdi Naka and Aya Mbalom roads, which are important to the movement of people and agricultural products.
The governor promised to examine the construction of the roads and other priority routes, underscoring the importance of infrastructure to agricultural development and the movement of farm produce from rural communities to markets and processing centres.
Alia thanked farmers and residents across Gwer East and Gwer West for their support, assuring them that his administration would continue to promote initiatives designed to strengthen livelihoods and expand economic opportunities in rural communities.
