From Gyang Bere, Jos
Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong, has disclosed that President Muhammadu Buhari facilitated the donation of $ 3.38 million to boost production of Irish potato in Plateau for exportation in 2019.
He made the disclosure yesterday at the foundation laying ceremony for the construction of Potato Tissue Culture Laboratory to curb potato blight disease in Mangu, Mangu Local Government Area of the state
Lalong said: “With the assistance of President Muhammadu Buhari and Federal Government, the African Development Bank (AfDB) has granted a facility of about $3.38 million to Plateau State Government with a view to boosting the state’s great potentials in the mass production of Irish Potatoes for export.
“The construction of the Potato seed Tissue Culture Laboratory in the State will address the problem of low-yielding Potato varieties and provide good quality seed. The output of potato production in the state had greatly reduced over the years due to the potato blight disease and degenerated seeds.”
According to the governor, the laboratory will encourage farmers who had abandoned their farms as a result of the loss recorded in the last farming season due to potato blight disease to resume their farming activities.
He said, “The project is anchored on the promotion of Agricultural Investment, Financing Agricultural Development and Research for Agricultural Innovation and Productivity, all tailored towards increase on sustainable basis of smallholder farmers and rural entrepreneurs engaged in production, processing, storage and marketing as well as job creation. 60,000 jobs will be created out of which 50 percent are women to ensure food security.”
Lalong said his administration had paid the counterpart funds of N54 million inherited from the previous administration, adding that the project will go a long way to boost the economic base of the state, as well as conserve foreign exchange.