The Plateau State Government has taken a major step toward repositioning agriculture with the launch of a seed potato programme in Butura, Bokkos Local Government Area, as part of Governor Caleb Mutfwang’s “Time Is Now” agenda.
At the event, the Governor described the initiative as the foundation of a long term economic shift rather than a routine agricultural exercise.
He said the planting signified the birth of an idea that links the state’s past farming heritage with a future driven by productivity and value addition.
Reflecting on his upbringing in a farming community, Governor Mutfwang recalled his early involvement in potato cultivation and admitted that for years local farmers assumed they had mastered the crop.
According to him, exposure to modern practices later revealed that Plateau farmers had only tapped a fraction of what was possible.
That discovery, he said, informed the government’s decision to invest deliberately in seed potato development and improved production systems.
He explained that current yields of about seven tons per hectare fall far below global benchmarks and stressed that the administration is determined to raise output and profitability, with the aim of making Plateau a key player in the international potato market.
The Governor noted that the Butura project represents the first phase of a broader plan that includes processing, storage and export.
He said the long term vision of factories and foreign markets can only be achieved by starting with quality seed and proper organisation at the farm level.
He also pointed to Plateau’s climatic advantage, explaining that farmers in many European countries grow potatoes only once a year, while Plateau has the capacity for multiple planting cycles. With effective management, he said, even two cycles annually could significantly boost incomes and the state’s economy.
However, Governor Mutfwang cautioned that increased prosperity would require a shift in mindset.
He said small scale subsistence farming methods are no longer sufficient and urged farmers to adopt cooperative structures, mechanisation and continuous training to attract investment and improve efficiency.
Addressing traditional rulers and community leaders, the Governor assured them of government support and security for the project.
He said such investments would not be introduced without measures to safeguard farmers and infrastructure.
Beyond seed production, he announced progress on complementary facilities, revealing that the abandoned potato tissue culture laboratory in Mangu is close to completion and is expected to be ready by February next year.
He also pledged improvements to rural roads to ease the transportation of farm produce and reduce post harvest losses.
Governor Mutfwang added that the Plateau Commodity Marketing Company would play an active role in protecting farmers from unfair pricing and exploitation, ensuring that they benefit fully from their labour.
The Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Naanlong Daniel, who attended the event, said the legislature was present to observe and support the initiative.
He commended the Governor for translating promises into action and reaffirmed the Assembly’s backing.
In his remarks, the Chairman of Bokkos Local Government Area, Hon Samuel Amalau, described the programme as a turning point for local farmers.
He said potatoes remain vital to food security and household income in the area and encouraged farmers to embrace new techniques that would guarantee sustainability.
He further assured that the benefits of the initiative would not be limited to Butura, noting that surrounding communities and other parts of the state stand to gain from the expansion of the potato value chain.
