Gov. Hyacinth Alia says he is committed to transforming the state’s yam sector into a globally competitive, export-oriented value chain to create jobs, attract investment and increase farmers’ incomes.
Alia stated this on Tuesday at a yam export development seminar organised by the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) in Makurdi.
Represented by Mrs Paulina Kpidi, Permanent Secretary overseeing the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Alia said yam was a major component of Benue’s agricultural economy and a commodity with significant potential in international markets.
The seminar, organised by the NEPC, was titled “Unlocking the Potential of Yam Export from Benue State.”
He stated that achieving global competitiveness required increased productivity, improved planting materials, mechanisation, irrigation, affordable financing and modern farming practices.
He also identified quality assurance, food safety, phytosanitary compliance, grading, packaging, labelling and traceability as essential requirements for accessing international markets.
The governor further called for investment in aggregation, storage and processing facilities to reduce post-harvest losses and promote value-added products such as yam flour and flakes.
Alia said improved branding and packaging would help establish Benue yam as a recognisable product associated with quality, reliability and traceability.
He also stressed the need to strengthen export logistics, including transportation, processing, storage and connections to airports, seaports and international trade corridors.
The governor called for stronger cooperatives and improved access to finance, market information and structured off-take arrangements to empower farmers and young people across the value chain.
Alia described the private sector as a key driver of export growth through investments in processing, aggregation, logistics and international market development.
He pledged to collaborate with the NEPC and other stakeholders on capacity building, export-ready production clusters, standards compliance, market intelligence, investment promotion, value addition and international market linkages.
He said the objective was to move from commodity trading to value addition, from informal marketing to structured exports, and from fragmented efforts to coordinated action.
The Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Mr Benjamin Ashaver, said Benue’s favourable agro-ecological conditions, large farming population, diverse yam varieties and established markets provided a strong foundation for developing a structured export value chain.
Represented by Mr Festus Kyeleve, Desk Officer for Climate Change, Ashaver said increased production alone was insufficient, stressing the need for proper handling, packaging, traceability, certification, storage, logistics and access to international buyers.
He urged farmers, cooperatives, aggregators, researchers, extension workers, processors, exporters, financial institutions, logistics providers and development partners to work together to develop the sector.
He said the ministry would strengthen collaboration with the NEPC and other stakeholders to make Benue yam a quality-assured and globally competitive agricultural commodity.
Ms Ochanya Okoh, Technical Adviser to the Governor on Agriculture, said Benue had the production base and traditional knowledge required to become a major supplier of quality yam to international markets.
Okoh said the repeal of Nigeria’s legal prohibition on yam exports had created opportunities for investment, job creation, increased farmers’ incomes and foreign exchange earnings.
She said the global market demanded consistency, grading, packaging, certification, traceability, proper storage and efficient logistics.
Okoh also identified the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) as an opportunity for Benue yam exporters to access the U.S. market, subject to meeting applicable standards.
She said farmers should not only produce more but earn more, while young people and entrepreneurs should benefit from opportunities in processing, logistics, technology and international trade.
Other speakers urged participants to translate discussions into practical actions that would make “Benue Yam” synonymous with quality, reliability and global competitiveness.
