Plateau Commisioner for Agriculture, Dr Hosea Finangwai, says the state government has put plans in motion to mitigate losses incured by potato farmers during 2022 cropping season.
Finangwai disclosed this to our correspondent in Jos.
The 2022 potato season recorded losses due to potatoes’ Blight, a disease caused by a fungus-like organism (Phytophthora infestans) that spreads rapidly through the foliage and tubers of potatoes, causing collapse and decay.
Finangwai said steps were already being taken to alleviate the losses incurred by farmers who cultivated Irish potatoes for commercial and consumption purposes.
“We have written to the Federal Government for possible assistance to our farmers.
“We were able to scale it down into a memo which was submitted to the Federal Government so that they will know the challenges our farmers have.
“We are hopeful that, that particular submission will yield a positive result for our farmers,” he said.
Fanangwai said he had also contacted the Executive Director of National Crop Research Institute (NCRI), through the Agric-Research Council.
He said that NCRI executive director would lead a high-powered delegation of expert-breeders, pathologists and tissue culture specialists to visit the farmers and their farm lands.
“The essence is for them, based on the invitation of the Ministry of Agric., to come and interface with government, see the devastating challenges farmers faced this year and see how we could address it together.
“We are not resting on our oars; we are making sure that we address this development,” he said.
The Agric Commissioner noted that prior to the outbreak of the Blight infestation, plans were already on ground to boost potato production in the state up to export standards.
“Our intention is by the year 2023, we should be able to have a ratio of what we produce being exported, most especially potatoes and vegetables,” he said.
Fanangwsi said Gov. Simon Lalong of Plateau had actually secured facility from African Development Bank to boost potato production, even before the potato Blight.
He said the state had been working on ensuring potatoes export since 2016.
“Today in Plateau State, we have what we call the value chain Support Programme which has three components.
“Capacity building for farmers, infrasctructure development and production are some key components of the Value Chain Programme which has been in progress even before the Blight infestation,” he said.
Fanangwai added that government had a vision to ensure that the state produced clean potatoes, resistant or tolerant to diseases including the Blight.
He urged farmers not to loose hope as government was committed to their course and working tirelessly to ameliorate losses they suffered during the cropping season.