Maureen Okpe
Governor Hyacinth Alia has reaffirmed Benue State’s readiness to embrace full agricultural mechanization as part of efforts to boost food production and strengthen the state’s agribusiness capacity.
Speaking on Monday, during an inspection visit to the Bureau of Agricultural Development and Mechanization, the governor restated his administration’s commitment to launch an expansive dry-season farming programme slated for December 2025.
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A statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Tersoo Kula noted that, during the visit, Governor Alia inspected 41 newly assembled tractors of various brands and capacities, ranging from 25hp to 95hp, alongside an array of complementary agricultural implements.
According to the statement, these include combine harvesters, multiple types of threshers, planters and fertilizer applicators, excavators, yam mounders, and other essential machinery designed to support large-scale and modern farming across Benue State.
He expressed satisfaction with the ongoing work at the tractor and equipment assembly plant and assured residents that his government will continue to invest in technology-driven farming solutions.
Governor Alia reiterated his resolve to sustain the Public Private Partnership between the state government and Mass International & Equipment Nigeria Limited (SABASPAC Int’l Ltd.), describing the initiative as “a model for agricultural transformation.”
He explained that “the partnership, championed by the Bureau for Entrepreneurship and Wealth Creation under the leadership of Ms. Benita Shuluwa and executed in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, has already begun yielding significant results.
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“Over 900 youths have so far been trained in tractor assembly, maintenance, and modern agricultural best practices, positioning the state for a future driven by skilled manpower and mechanized farming.”
The governor also toured the demonstration farms within the facility, where he inspected smart seedlings of papaya, cocoa, rice, and oil palm, all of which form part of the state’s new push for improved crop varieties and climate-smart agricultural solutions.
He directed the Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security to immediately allocate all government-owned agricultural lands for the planting and replanting of improved seedlings of oranges, mangoes, and major grains such as guinea corn, wheat, barley, and sorghum.
Governor Alia urged Benue farmers to take full advantage of the improved seedlings and farm inputs already made available at the Bureau of Agricultural Development and Mechanization.
He emphasized that enhanced inputs, improved seedlings, and mechanization remain critical pillars in his administration’s vision for a transformed, productive, and globally competitive agricultural sector in Benue State.