The Benue Government has partnered with Mass International & Equipment Limited and SABASPAC to promote mechanised farming and enhance food production in the state.
Governor Hyacinth Alia, represented by his deputy, Mr. Sam Ode, announced the initiative on Wednesday at the official flag-off of the Agricultural Mechanisation Outgrower Programme in Makurdi.
Alia said the partnership was aimed at restoring Benue’s status as the Food Basket of the Nation by supporting farmers with equipment and integrating them into a structured agricultural value chain.
“Today, 10 clusters of farmers, comprising about 300 farmers, will participate in this pilot scheme. Each cluster is empowered with one tractor. The programme is designed to improve agricultural productivity through mechanised farming, provision of inputs, technical support and guaranteed markets for produce,” he said.
The governor added that farmers would receive agricultural implements, improved seedlings, extension services and trained tractor operators, while the government would consider requests to subsidise the cost of tractors.
Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Mr. Benjamin Ashaver, described the initiative as a practical step to make farming more productive and to empower youth and women across the state.
The Director-General of the Bureau for Entrepreneurship and Wealth Creation, Ms. Benita Shuluwa, explained that the programme, through the Benue Agribusiness and Mechanisation Centre (BAMC), would provide farmer clusters with access to modern equipment, inputs and land-clearing activities in collaboration with the National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA).
She added that the scheme also includes creating commercial farmlands for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) to promote entrepreneurship and economic independence.
Mrs. Dooshima Zaki, Acting Director-General of the Bureau for Agricultural Development Mechanisation, said the initiative would improve farmers’ access to mechanised equipment, while commending Governor Alia for his efforts to transform the sector.
President of Mass International & Equipment Limited, Alhaji Muhammed Yaro, said the company partnered with the state out of its passion for humanity, pledging that the equipment supplied were of the highest global standards.
President of the Benue Farmers Cooperative Societies Federation, Mr. Elias Iorwuese, lauded the government’s efforts but appealed for subsidies on tractors to further boost food production. He pledged farmers’ support for Alia’s re-election in 2027.