The Benue State Government has endorsed a Strategic Food Security Plan aimed at improving agricultural productivity, rebuilding rural livelihoods and addressing insecurity and other challenges affecting food production across the state.
The plan was developed under the “Enhancing Food Security and Peacebuilding in Nigeria through Strategic Planning Project,” which brought together farmers, academics and other stakeholders to develop a coordinated approach to strengthening food security and promoting peace in farming communities.
Speaking at the unveiling of the plan, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Benjamin Ashaver, called on Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) across the state to take ownership of the strategy and support its effective implementation.
Ashaver, who was represented by the Technical Adviser to the Governor on Agriculture, Danjuma Adejo, also urged local government councils, traditional institutions and farmers to adopt the plan within their communities and sustain the partnerships that contributed to its development.
He said the state had adopted a five-year development framework and reaffirmed Governor Hyacinth Alia’s commitment to implementing the strategy.
According to him, the plan will undergo a mid-term review in 2028, while a final evaluation is scheduled for 2031 to assess its impact and identify areas requiring further intervention.
The commissioner said insecurity had severely disrupted agricultural activities across Benue State, displacing farmers from their communities, restricting access to farmlands and resulting in significant losses of crops and harvests.
“Benue State’s agricultural fortunes have, in recent years, been tested by forces beyond the ordinary challenges of farming. Insecurity has driven farmers from their farmlands. Displacement has fractured our community of planting and harvest seasons,” he said.
He further noted that land-use conflicts between herders and farming communities had weakened trust and disrupted social and economic activities in rural areas.
“Land-use conflicts between herders and farming communities have destroyed the trust that once held rural communities together,” Ashaver said.
The commissioner commended the Policy Team of the Supply Chain, Research and Innovation Hub, led by Ajibola Oladipo and Dr. Shalem Shiekuma, for its contributions to the development of the strategic plan.
Presenting the document to the state government, Dr. Akange Edward said the strategy was designed to create a more stable environment for agricultural production, improve land governance, rebuild inclusive rural economies and strengthen logistics and market systems.
Edward explained that Benue’s food security challenges extend beyond low agricultural output, noting that persistent attacks on farming communities and wider conflict dynamics had exposed structural weaknesses within the state’s food system.
“Benue State is celebrated as the Food Basket of the Nation. With fertile land, abundant water resources and a resilient farming population, it has historically anchored Nigeria’s food economy,” he said.
He, however, noted that insecurity, displacement, land-use conflicts, climate pressures and deteriorating infrastructure had combined to undermine agricultural stability and rural livelihoods.
The Strategic Food Security Plan is expected to provide a coordinated framework for government institutions, farming communities and other stakeholders to address these challenges while restoring agricultural production and strengthening rural economies.
The initiative is also expected to contribute to peacebuilding by promoting collaboration among communities and strengthening the conditions necessary for farmers to return to their fields, increase production and improve livelihoods.
With its implementation, the Benue State Government is seeking to restore the state’s agricultural strength, improve food availability and reinforce its position as a major contributor to Nigeria’s food security.
