Okwe Obi and Mark Blessing, Abuja
Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State has called on the World Bank and well-meaning organisations to partner with the state to arrest post-harvest losses.
Governor Ortom, who also said that the perennial impasse between farmers and herdsmen as one of the disturbing factors of post-harvest losses, disclosed that the state is in dire need of water, roads and electricity.
Represented by the Vice Chancellor, Benue State University, Prof. Moses Kembe, at the West and Central Africa Post-Harvest Congress and Exhibition (WCAPHCE), with the theme: ‘Upscaling of Post-Harvest Activities in West and Central Africa,’ on Tuesday, in Abuja, the governor added that the law prohibiting open grazing was aimed at relaxing communal crises.
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He said, “Benue State Government is passionate about the provision of water, road and electricity. I call on the World Bank to partner with the state on project that will alleviate the poor condition of our citizens.”
He further noted that, “Development in any nation cannot strive without adequate security.
“This brings to the fore another agricultural setback issue which as I speak most of our farmers are displaced due to farmers, herders/bandits crises that has rocked the country with Benue State taking the biggest hit.
“This has caused farmers to abandon their farms un-harvested, in some cases, the seedlings have completely being destroyed. There is need to find a lasting solution to the menace.
“In Benue we feel the provision of Open-Grazing Establishment of Ranching Law, 2017 would help and urge the federal government to help us implement the law,” he noted.
Speaking earlier, Executive Director, Nigeria Stored Products Research Institute, Prof. Olufemi Peters, maintained that the event was put together to arrest the disturbing trend.