The Benue State Government has launched a five-year Strategic Food Security Plan aimed at revitalising agricultural production, improving farmers’ livelihoods, and addressing the devastating effects of insecurity on food production across the state.
The initiative was unveiled under the Enhancing Food Security and Peacebuilding in Nigeria through Strategic Planning Project (EFSPP) during a stakeholder engagement that brought together government officials, farmers, academics, traditional rulers, and development partners.
Speaking at the launch, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Benjamin Ashaver, called on Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to take ownership of the plan to ensure its effective implementation. Represented by the Governor’s Technical Adviser on Agriculture, Danjuma Adejo, the commissioner also urged local government councils, traditional institutions, and farming communities to embrace the strategy and sustain the collaborative efforts that produced it.
Mr. Ashaver formally endorsed the five-year food security plan and reaffirmed Governor Hyacinth Alia’s commitment to its implementation. He disclosed that the plan includes a mid-term review scheduled for 2028 and a comprehensive end-term evaluation in 2031.
The commissioner commended the policy team of the Supply Chain Research and Innovation Hub (SCRIH), led by Ajibola Oladipo and Shalem Shiekuma, for developing the strategic framework.
However, he expressed concern over the prolonged insecurity that has affected Benue’s agricultural sector, noting that persistent attacks by armed herders have displaced thousands of farmers, disrupted farming activities, and significantly reduced agricultural output.
According to him, insecurity has forced many farmers off their lands, interrupted planting and harvesting seasons, and intensified land-use conflicts between herders and farming communities, eroding the trust that once fostered peaceful coexistence in rural areas.
Presenting the Strategic Food Security Plan to the state government, Akange Edward explained that the document provides a comprehensive framework for stabilising agricultural production, strengthening land governance, rebuilding rural economies, and improving logistics and market systems.
He said the strategy addresses the underlying structural issues affecting food production and rural livelihoods, stressing that Benue’s challenges extend beyond agricultural performance to the broader relationship between food systems and conflict.
Mr. Edward observed that although Benue is widely recognised as Nigeria’s “Food Basket of the Nation” because of its fertile land, abundant water resources, and resilient farming population, years of insecurity, displacement, land-use conflicts, climate pressures, and inadequate infrastructure have undermined the state’s agricultural potential.
He noted that the newly launched Strategic Food Security Plan is expected to serve as a roadmap for restoring agricultural productivity, strengthening the resilience of farming communities, promoting sustainable peace, and driving long-term economic development across the state.
