From Abel Leonard, Lafia
Governor of Nasarawa State, Abdullahi A. Sule, has praised the Sasakawa Africa Association (SAA) for its impactful rice and cassava value chain development initiatives in the state. The governor made this commendation during a courtesy visit by members of the SAA board and management, led by its President, Dr. Makoto Kitanaka, at the Government House in Lafia.
A statement by Moses Nongoatse, Communication Officer, Sasakawa Africa Association, Nigeria on Friday stated that Governor Sule emphasized that the initiatives implemented by SAA, particularly in rice and cassava production, align with his administration’s agricultural development goals. “The two value chains of rice and cassava you have been developing in our state are vital crops for us, and we are seeing great results,” Sule stated.
He further noted that the state was currently harvesting 1,700 hectares of rice and aiming to achieve a yield of 10 tons per hectare with continued support from SAA.
It was gathered that the SAA, with funding from the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), has established two rice value chain development centres in Nasarawa State—located in Assakio and Agwatashi, Lafia and Obi Local Government Areas, respectively.
Governor Sule explained the significance of the projects in the state’s broader agenda for food security and economic development. “We’re getting three to five tons per hectare, but our target is 10 tons per hectare. I am sure that if we continue to work with Sasakawa, we’ll be able to increase the use of improved technologies and scale up yield and productivity,” he added.
Dr Godwin Atser, SAA Nigeria’s Country Director, acknowledged the governor’s crucial role in the success of these initiatives. He also noted that Sasakawa has introduced climate-smart agriculture, organic fertilizer production, and alternative energy sources using rice husk to farmers in the state.