By PETER TITLE
Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, has vowed to diversify the state’s economy by harnessing its huge potentials in the agricultural sector so to alleviate the economic hardships of the people.
He made this pledge recently while receiving a delegation of the Special Agro-Processing Zone (SAPZ) at the Old Government House, Rayfield, Jos.
The SAPZ delegation,which was led by Alhaji Shuaibu Bello, the Nigeria Consortium Chairman and Principal Partner of AgTech Innovation Labs, was in the state to carry out a feasibility study to identify suitable communities where agricultural value chains can be enhanced to boost the state’s economy, generate revenue and create wealth for the people.
The governor expressed delight at the visit, assured of his administration’s full support and cooperation and called for a united front in tackling the current economic challenges for the survival of the nation.
Mutfwang disclosed that Plateau grows crops that have comparative advantages such as potatoes, tomatoes, maize, rice, strawberry, coffee and ginger, stressing that his administration would work closely with the Nigeria Exports Promotion Commission (NEPC), to create value chains and export the agricultural products.
Bello said that the team had visited stakeholders in Bassa, Shendam, Qua’an Pan, Bokkos and Mangu where they met with agro-allied partners for sustainable partnership.
According to him, they were determined to improve agricultural value chains in Plateau which he said was capable of creating factories and industries through the aid of the World Bank and the Agricultural Development Bank.