The Kogi Government says the state will likely become the hub of Africa in Cashew production.
The Commissioner for Information and Communication, Mr Kingsley Fanwo, made the declaration while speaking with Journalists in Lokoja on Friday.
Fanwo attributed the feat the state had so far attained in Cashew production to sound agricultural policies and purposeful leadership of Gov. Yahaya Bello’s administration.
“Today, Kogi maintains a clear lead in the production of Cashew in Nigeria, largely due to sound agricultural policies and leadership qualities.
Our sound agricultural policies are geared toward empowering farmers with improved seedlings, mechanisation, agro chemicals as well as creating an enabling environment for the private sector to invest in Cashew production.
“Kogi has retained this position for many years, and our ambition is to push Nigeria’s production level above that of Ivory Coast, which is the leading Cashew producer in the world.
“Bello has, and is still paying a great attention to agriculture as a result of the edaphic advantages of the state to use that sector to address poverty and hunger.
“This administration is scaling up its gear toward improving the value chain in cashew production in the state.
“This is because we can only get value for money when we can add some values to our cashew before selling them to the major buyers,” he said.
The commissioner, however, expressed gladness that the emergence of some A-List Industries in the area of Cassava processing had enhanced the production capacity and fortunes of farmers in the state.
He said: “The joy of it all is that the issue of herders-farmers clashes in the state have drastically reduced as a result of the collaborative security architecture that has evolved strategies to ensure peace and security.”
NAN
