Group hails Alia over Benue Rice, urges more investment

File: Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State

The Transparency Watch Crusade has commended the Benue State Government for establishing the Benue Agro-Industrial Processing and Economic Transformation Bureau.

The organisation described the initiative as a step towards strengthening food security and expanding agro-industrial development in the state.

According to a statement issued on Tuesday by its leader, Tukur Salami, the group noted that introducing locally processed Benue Rice demonstrated Governor Hyacinth Alia’s administration’s efforts to turn the state’s agricultural potential into economic opportunities.

Three organisations gave the commendation following an assessment of the government’s agricultural initiatives, particularly the activities of BNAGRO under its pioneer Director-General, Pharm. Peter Chieshe.

Salami praised Alia and Chieshe for taking steps to make the bureau operational, noting that Benue Rice production and availability could support local food supply and provide a market for farmers.

He said, “The availability of Benue Rice in the market represents an important intervention in the state’s food security drive, especially at a time when rising food prices continue to place considerable pressure on household incomes.”

According to him, processing rice cultivated by local farmers would strengthen the agricultural value chain, encourage local consumption and improve access to essential food commodities.

He added, “Processing and marketing rice produced from locally sourced paddy cultivated by Benue farmers provides an opportunity to strengthen the state’s agricultural value chain, promote local consumption and support efforts to improve access to essential food commodities.”

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Salami said the initiative also highlighted the need to move beyond subsistence farming to large-scale agricultural production and industrial processing.

“The initiative demonstrates the importance of moving beyond subsistence agriculture to industrial-scale processing, where locally produced agricultural commodities are transformed into finished products that generate additional economic value,” he said.

Established by the Alia administration, BNAGRO is designed to connect agricultural production with processing and marketing under its operational model, tagged Farm to Factory to Market.

Its mandate covers mechanised commercial farming, irrigation, agro-industrial processing, manufacturing, investment mobilisation and agricultural modernisation.

The bureau is also expected to establish grain storage facilities, strategic food reserves and processing infrastructure while integrating smallholder farmers, youths and other agricultural stakeholders into organised production systems.