Kogi State allocates 1,200 hectares for cassava production program

The Kogi State Government has announced a bold initiative allocating 1,200 hectares of land for immediate intervention. The declaration came during the inauguration of the State Executive Council of the Cassava Cottage Processing Marketing Association (CACOPMAN) in Lokoja, with Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr Timothy Ojoma, unveiling the comprehensive plan.

Under the initiative, the state government pledges to provide 80% of the necessary resources, including tractors, improved stems, fertilizers, chemicals, and land preparation across 48 identified areas spanning the state’s three senatorial districts. Moreover, over 1,000 extension workers will be deployed to offer crucial support to farmers, disseminating vital information on cassava cultivation, climate change, and best agricultural practices, tailored to the local populace by translating materials into the state’s primary languages.

Read also:

• 
  Premier movie of MAKEMATION, an AI movie for the youth
• 
  SEC, SMEDAN collaborate to boost small business access to capital markets
• 
  SMEDAN, Kwara governor discuss joint strategy to support MSMEs nationwide

Governor Usman Ododo’s administration underscores its commitment to agricultural development and food security through this initiative, signaling a strategic move to prioritize agriculture. The state government has also completed the training of enumerators for a comprehensive biometric data collection of all farmers, aimed at informing future agricultural policies.

Challenging the new CACOPMAN leadership, National President Mr Segun Ilori urged proactive engagement to leverage government and NGO incentives for boosting cassava production. Alhaji Salihu Adobauji, State President of All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), rallied cassava farmers to persevere through economic challenges and contribute to food production. Expressing optimism, the newly appointed state CACOPMAN chairman, Ufana Hussein, emphasized cassava’s potential to drive industrialization in Kogi and Nigeria at large.