Benue govt assembles tractors for dry season farming

The Benue State Government has assembled new tractors to flag off the dry season farming programme scheduled for December .

This was disclosed by Gov Hyacinth Alia during inspection of the Agribusiness and Mechanisation Centre in Makurdi.

He said newly assembled tractors and farm equipment are being prepared for deployment for farming across the state during the dry season.

According to a statement by his Spokesman,Tersoo Kula, Gov Alia said the visit was aimed at confirming the state’s readiness for the new agricultural phase.

Mr Kula explained that the governor assessed 41 tractors of different capacities, along with a range of supporting machines such as threshers, planters, excavators and yam mounders.

He said the centre is a product of a Public Private Partnership involving Mass International and Equipment Nigeria Limited and driven by the Bureau for Entrepreneurship and Wealth Creation in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.

He noted that several youths in the state have been trained in tractor assembly and modern farming methods.

Gov. Alia added that pilot farms at the centre are showing improved varieties of cocoa, papaya, rice and oil palm.

“Today, I visited the Benue State Agribusiness and Mechanisation Centre to inspect ongoing work at our new tractor and equipment assembly plant, where 41 newly assembled tractors and several complementary farm machines are ready to support our dry season farming programme beginning this December. ”

He directed the Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security to mark out all government agricultural lands for immediate planting and replanting of improved seedlings.