- Governor Alia commissioned 33 new tractors and distributed N380 million in cheques to community groups for climate-smart agriculture
- The ACReSAL initiative will benefit over 33,000 households annually, with a new agency established for knowledge and skills transfer
Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State has commissioned 33 new tractors and distributed N380 million cheques to community interest groups. These efforts are part of the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) scheme to promote climate-smart agriculture in the state.
Governor Alia, who has already contributed N1 billion as counterpart funding for the ACReSAL program, reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to supporting the initiative for the benefit of the people of Benue.
He immediately established ACReSAL as a new government agency dedicated to knowledge and skills transfer. Alia noted that Benue, like many other states, faces significant challenges such as high poverty rates, a fragile environment, conflicts, natural resource degradation, low agricultural productivity, and climate-related risks. Addressing these issues, he emphasized, requires collective efforts.
The governor urged the scheme’s beneficiaries to manage the resources diligently and prudently. He assured that the 33 tractors would benefit over 33,000 households in the state annually.
Dr. Joy Iganya Ajene, Senior Environmental Specialist at the World Bank Nigeria office and team leader for the ACReSAL project, stated that the team visited Benue to assess and support the program and to address any bottlenecks. She reported that their findings indicated significant success for the program in the state.