The Benue State Government has assured farmers of adequate security, saying measures have been put in place to enable them to carry out farming activities without fear.
Governor Hyacinth Alia gave the assurance during a media briefing organised by the Presidential Communications Team at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
He said part of the strategy involves allocating farmlands to displaced persons as well as security agencies operating in the state, allowing both groups to farm side by side while ensuring protection.
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“For example in Guma Local Government, we apportioned farmlands also to security agencies so, they farm side by side with the displaced persons. So, while the security personnel are doing their own farming, they are also securing our own folks.
“At the end of the day, as the bad guys are running away, their farms are being expanded and that is where we apportion to the security agencies,” he said.
The governor further explained that farmers operate within regulated hours to reduce vulnerability, particularly during late hours.
“Another system we brought in place was that, as they move out to their farms, they inform the security personnel and they farm at certain hours and return in the evening to the displaced persons camps. That continued for a short time and later they started going alone to work on the farms,” he said.
He noted that the arrangement has been sustained, leading to improved yields as displaced persons continue farming without major disruptions.
“This is what we have now sustained and when they later leave the IDP camps to go back voluntarily to their ancestral homes, to continue with their farm work, it gives us a very good mileage. So their security is being taken care of even outside the camps,” the Governor stated.
Governor Alia said the system has been in place for about three years and has continued to deliver positive results.
On agricultural inputs, he disclosed that the state government is partnering with a fertiliser company to supply products to farmers at subsidised rates.
According to him, over 1,000 metric tonnes of fertiliser have been supplied this year, while the Federal Government has also delivered more than 600 trucks of fertiliser to the state for onward distribution to farmers.
