The Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang has commissioned a Potato Value Chain Project in Mangu Local Government Area, alongside a modern Tissue Culture Laboratory and the distribution of contemporary agricultural equipment.
The initiative represents a major investment aimed at transforming Plateau State from a producer of raw potatoes into Nigeria’s foremost centre for potatoes processing and value addition.
The project, which includes a training centre and a potato processing facility, is expected to enhance seed production, promote mechanised farming, improve farmers’ earnings and position Plateau as a key player in Africa’s potato industry.
Speaking at the commissioning, Governor Mutfwang said that the completion of the project marks the successful revival of an initiative that was close to being abandoned when his administration came into office.
“Today is a story of recovery, a story of repositioning and a story of putting round pegs in round holes. When you get the right people to do the right job, you get the right results. Potato value chain goes beyond cultivation to include processing, transportation, packaging and marketing, creating wider business opportunities and sustainable jobs,” he explained.
Expressing concern over Nigeria’s reliance on imported potato products, the Governor said “this is the beginning of the end of that story… Let me announce that plans have began for local production of potato chips and potato flakes while introducing value-added potato products into the state’s school feeding programme.”
Governor Mutfwang noted that the project is focused on improving the living standards of citizens rather than simply delivering infrastructure.
He encouraged farmers to adopt improved seed varieties, embrace cooperative farming and mechanisation to eliminate crop diseases, increase output and reduce dependence on labour-intensive farming methods.
Governor Mutfwang also thanked the Mangu community for donating land for the project.
He stated that “additional investments, including a modern processing centre, the revival of the Agricultural Services and Training Centre (ASTC) and the establishment of an organised agricultural market would accelerate industrial development in the area.”
Governor Mutfwang expressed confidence that Mangu would serve as a foundation for positioning Plateau State as the next industrial hub.
The Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Samson Bugama, described the commissioning as the beginning of the “Plateau Potato Revolution,” explaining that the Tissue Culture Laboratory would provide the foundation for producing disease-free seeds and developing indigenous potato varieties capable of competing globally.
Chairman of Mangu Local Government Council, Emmanuel Mwolpun, described the project as a major milestone for farmers, noting that more than 80 percent of Plateau residents depend on agriculture for their livelihoods.
Mwolpun expressed optimism that access to quality seedlings and mechanised farming would boost productivity, reduce poverty and reinforce Plateau’s status as Nigeria’s leading potato-producing state.
Project Director of Transparent Engineering Construction Nigeria Limited, Adegoke Olowale, praised the Governor for insisting on quality and prompt project delivery.
He added that the project created both direct and indirect employment opportunities for skilled and unskilled youths from the host community during construction.
