Plateau potato farmers receive seedlings to boost production
By Uzair Adam Imam
Solidaridad, an international organization funded by the Netherlands, has donated potato seedlings to 4,000 farmers in Plateau State.
The seedlings are resistant to potato blight, a disease that can reduce crop yields.
This is expected to increase the productivity of farmers during the 2024 farming season.
The product was unveiled during the kick-off of the distribution of seedlings to farmers in Bokkos and Mangu Local Government Areas of Plateau State.
Programme Manager of Solidaridad, Kene Onukwube, said: “We are starting with 4,000 household farmers. This can be further expanded, as we expect the state government to replicate this programme subsequently.
“For the prove of concept we started with Bokkos and Mangu local governments, and together with the state ministry of agriculture would be able to show us other locations which is possible to do the same project.’’
Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang, represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Esther Pwaspo, stated that the state government is committed to improving the agricultural sector and boosting potato production for export.
This initiative aims to increase the state’s agricultural output and generate revenue.