Kaduna State governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, has announced the
establishment ofa multi billion naira French Rice/Potatoes processing
plant in Manchok, Kaura local government area of the state.The
processing plant after completion, would offer 30,000 direct jobs to the
teaming unemployed youths in the state.
Addressing a news
conference in Kaduna heralding the ground breaking of the plant
scheduled for this week, state commissioner for Agriculture and
Forestry, Dr.Manzo Maigari, said 5,000 hectres of land in each local
government area would be allocated to community on the best ways of
planting potatoes.
He explained that as one of the steps to
empower farmers in the state, VICAMPRO, owner of the processing plant
would buy the potatoes from the farmers for its massive production as 60
per cent of the products would be exported. Maigari added that governor
El-Rufai’s economic diversification processing drive would extend to
other crops to revive the current economic challenges facing the country
and the state.
The commissioner said,
“Since
the coming of this government, we came with a goal and determination in
farming. What we did is to organize farmers into cooperatives,
commodity interest groups and the rest. “We look at things critically
and we decided that everything we are going to do in agriculture, we
have to have some value added which will be private sector driven, so we
are lucky to have VICAMPRO with an investment worth 120 million dollars
coming into Kaduna state to process French rice and potatoes.“What
are the gains for us, with this investment we are looking at 30,000
direct jobs, we are also working closely with them to see how we can
develop out growers network across all the local government areas that
have suitable soil to grow potatoes. “Another benefit is that it will
help us to standardize our farm practice in the state.”
On
his part, the Executive Secretary,Kaduna State Investment Promotion
Agency, KADIPA, Gambo Hamza, said the Kaduna investment summit held some
months ago has started yielding results with the launch of French
rice/potatoes processing plant, noting that Olam had launched the
biggest poultry/hatchery in Sub Sahara Africa in Kaduna.
Gambo
said for Kaduna processed products to be exported across board, the
state has established world class agricultural certification centre,
calling on investors to come and invest in the state. Also speaking,
Managing Director VICAMPRO, Michael Agbogo, said the company would
create the largest agricultural business in Africa.
According to him:
“Because Nigeria has the potential of doing so, in terms of land,
people to diversify the economy. “In Kaduna we know that the state is
really open to investment. Nigeria is the only country that can
naturally grow potatoes especially irish and can be grown in the state.
“The
project is the landmark one because its creates jobs. Our vision is to
cultivate 10,000 hectares and to work with over 200,000 out growers that
will provide the right inputs into the processing facilities which will
be the first of its kind in Sub Sahara Africa.”