Benue State is looking to cassava as a major driver of economic growth, with stakeholders calling for increased investment in production, processing and value addition to unlock the crop’s potential for job creation, food security and industrial development.
The move was highlighted during a Farmers Awareness and Mobilisation Programme and the launch of the Green Harvest Cooperative Society in Benue South, where the Executive Director of Green Harvest Food Stuff, Prince Joshua Apeh, described cassava as the region’s “crude oil.”
Apeh said Benue South has enormous cassava production potential but has not been able to fully benefit from the crop because of inadequate processing facilities.
He said cassava could be processed into food products, industrial materials, bioethanol and biofuel, adding that greater investment in the value chain could help reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imported fuel while creating employment opportunities.
According to him, the objective is to move farmers beyond producing raw cassava by establishing a system where they have access to inputs, financing, mechanised equipment and guaranteed markets for their produce.
About 3,000 farmers have so far registered with the cooperative, with more expected to join through the ongoing mobilisation programme.
Members are expected to benefit from loans, improved cassava stems and seedlings, fertilisers and tractor services aimed at increasing production and reducing challenges faced by farmers.
Apeh said Green Harvest currently has the capacity to produce about 250,000 kilogrammes of garri and 300,000 kilogrammes of flour monthly, while plans are underway to expand into livestock feed production and establish a major bioethanol plant.
He said the development of a stronger cassava value chain would create opportunities for farmers, young people and businesses while positioning Benue as a major player in Nigeria’s agricultural and industrial economy.
The initiative is also targeting insecurity, which has forced some farmers away from their fields.
According to the company, a situation room has been established to monitor farming communities, while motorcycles and vehicles have been provided for youth surveillance teams. Plans are also underway to deploy drones and surveillance cameras linked to a central control centre to monitor agricultural areas.
Community leaders and farmers welcomed the initiative, saying improved access to markets, farm inputs, mechanisation and security could encourage more people to return to agriculture and increase cassava production.
The renewed focus on cassava comes amid broader efforts to transform Benue’s agricultural sector from the production of raw commodities to processing and value addition. Earlier this year, the state government signed a $530 million agro-industrial deal covering production, storage, processing and logistics for crops including cassava, rice, yam and soybeans.
With increased investment in processing and market access, stakeholders believe cassava could become one of the key commodities driving Benue’s transition from an agricultural production base to a more diversified agro-industrial economy.
