Benue’s one-stop agro outfit to boost farmers’ productivity

Farmers in Benue State are set to take their agricultural business to the next level following a new opportunity to access all agro services without any stress. Our correspondent reports that the opportunity followed the unveiling of a one-stop agro outfit in Makurdi, aimed at bridging the gap for farmers to excel in their agric […]

Farmers in Benue State are set to take their agricultural business to the next level following a new opportunity to access all agro services without any stress.

Our correspondent reports that the opportunity followed the unveiling of a one-stop agro outfit in Makurdi, aimed at bridging the gap for farmers to excel in their agric businesses.

A big-time farmer, Vitalis Tarnongu, who created the chance for farmers to explore, said the idea would make available necessary tools and inputs to farmers from the onset of farming, through production and to market.

Tarnongu said “We will provide quality seeds from good companies to the farmers which they can rely on and not packaged grains. Farmers can also come to the office and we will look into their complaints. We will deliver high quality agro inputs from planting level, production and market.”

While praying for the success of the new agricultural venture, a priest of the Catholic Church, Reverend Father Jonathan Gondo, hailed the move geared towards boosting quality food production in the state.

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Gondo said, “In the days past, we ate fresh food but today people are not lasting long (longevity of life) because of what they eat.”

A manager at Teryima Farms, Engr. Msughter Baka, explained that with the idea just birthed, “We have now provided one-stop shop for farmers to attend to services of consultancy. We have a team of professionals in all agricultural areas.

“Because, we will provide agricultural extension service, government can partner with us where they co-opt their extension agency on our programme. We can also partner with government in areas of consultancy. Our team can be used for the partnership.”

Similarly, an agricultural expert, Adayi Joseph, posited that Tarnongu, who is the Managing Director of Teryima Nigeria Limited, has continued to excel in the world of food production, especially in Benue State.

Joseph said of the new venture, “This is very significant as to what the nation, state and farmers stand to gain from this official opening. This signifies an expansion of business; it brings everything that Teryima does closer to the people and he does everything in the agricultural value chain – rice, cowpea, soybean and fertilizers, herbicides, among others. He is bringing the solution from the private point of view to the public.

“The farmers would gain improved seeds which he sells to them; the importance of improved seeds cannot be overemphasised. For example, our people used to recycle grains, that’s what they plant year in and out while the genetic quality had dropped. When they do this for instance in a soybean field, they get from a hectare of land about three bags and that’s just about 150kg per hectare after all the labour.

“This is back-breaking for our farmers, but with the use of improved seeds today, they are getting about 1.2tons, that’s over 1000 percent increase from what they used to get. So, it means that the livelihood of our farmers will improve, the nutritional aspect will improve and their income will also improve by patronising and having access to what is critical, quality, real improved seeds.

“Our farmers will have access to quality products. That’s just one aspect. The second aspect is the fact that he brings to the fore input credits given to farmers, making things accessible to farmers at a cost that the farmers can have now and then pay later.

“He also does buy back and supplies. This means that he not only boosts production, but also guarantee access to market. If we have more of him in the state, it would contribute massively to the economy of the state.”