Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue state Monday reaffirmed his administration’s determination to transform Benue into Nigeria’s agricultural powerhouse through full mechanisation, beginning with the dry-season farming programme slated for December 2025.
The governor made the declaration during an inspection tour of the Bureau of Agricultural Development and Mechanisation in Makurdi, where he assessed progress at the state’s tractor and equipment assembly plant.
He said the Agribusiness Mechanisation Centre, operating from the Bureau for Entrepreneurship and Wealth Creation premises, has already trained over 900 youths in tractor assembly and modern farming techniques.
Alia also inspected 41 newly assembled tractors of varying capacities (25hp–95hp), alongside complementary farm machinery such as combine harvesters, threshers, planters/fertilizer applicators, excavators, and yam mounders.
He emphasised that these investments will drastically reduce manual labour and boost productivity across the state’s farmlands.
The governor reiterated his commitment to sustaining the Public Private Partnership (PPP) with Mass International & Equipment Nigeria Limited (SABASPAC Int’l Ltd.), facilitated by the Bureau for Entrepreneurship and Wealth Creation under Ms. Benita Shuluwa, in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.
Governor Alia also toured demonstration farms showcasing smart seedlings of papaya, cocoa, rice, and oil palm.
He directed the Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security to immediately earmark all government-owned agricultural lands for the planting of improved seedlings of oranges, mangoes, and staple grains such as guinea corn, wheat, barley, and sorghum.
Encouraging Benue farmers to take advantage of the improved seedlings available at the Bureau, Governor Alia stressed that access to enhanced inputs is central to the state’s agricultural transformation agenda.
“Mechanisation is the future of farming in Benue. With modern equipment and improved seedlings, our farmers will not only feed the state but contribute significantly to national food security,” the governor affirmed.
