By Marie-Therese Nanlong

Jos – Plateau State government has joined the global community to mark World Food Day 2025 with a renewed call for collaboration among government, academia, farmers, the private sector, and development partners to strengthen food systems and achieve sustainable food security.

Speaking in Jos, Governor Caleb Mutfwang, represented by his Chief of Staff, Jeremiah Satmak, reaffirmed that his administration’s “The Time is Now” policy places agriculture at the heart of Plateau’s economic revival, and noted that food security is not a side project but “the bedrock of the State’s economy and a pathway to shared prosperity.”

Highlighting key interventions, the Governor said over 300,000 farmers have been registered under the Plateau State Farmer Data Bank, enabling better planning and resource allocation, and stated the State has distributed over 18,000 metric tonnes of subsidised fertiliser, constructed 331 kilometres of rural access roads through the RAAMP project, and launched youth-focused Smart Agriculture training.

He also cited the National Livestock Transformation Plan (NLTP) in Wase as a model for peaceful and productive ranching. With an investment of ₦185 million, the project includes pasture development, solar-powered boreholes, and perimeter fencing. “Our vision is for a modern, climate-resilient livestock system that enhances food production and fosters peace,” he stressed.

The Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Samson Bugama, reinforced the Governor’s message, describing this year’s theme, “Hand in Hand for Better Foods and a Better Future,” as a call for collective responsibility.

He highlighted the government’s achievements under the ‘Land is Green’ initiative, including the importation of 275 tons of certified potato seeds, engagement in Special Agricultural Processing Zones (SAPZ), and establishment of PLATEAU MARKETS in major cities to ensure fair returns for farmers.

Bugama added that the State has invested in farmer insurance, climate-smart training, and livestock vaccination, reviving key institutions such as the Panyam Fish Farm and modernising the Jos Abattoir.

On the industrial front, Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Mohammed Nyalun, noted the importance of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) as catalysts for agricultural sustainability.

He said the Ministry has trained MSMEs in nutrition-sensitive packaging, branding, and access to finance, positioning them to reduce post-harvest losses and create rural jobs saying, “Food security is not just about production; it is about enterprise, innovation, and inclusion.”

Earlier, Professor Dauda Bawa, Director of the TETFund Centre of Excellence in Food Security, University of Jos, stressed the need for multi-sectoral coordination, and proposed three pilot projects, the Plateau Vegetable and Potato Resilience Cluster, Decentralised Cold-Storage Network, and Youth Agribusiness Incubator, to strengthen value chains and empower young agripreneurs.

In his goodwill message, Doug Edge of the U.S.-based Reproduction Specialty Group (RSG) commended Plateau State’s leadership and reaffirmed U.S. commitment to partnerships that enhance livestock genetics and small ruminant productivity.

As Plateau joined the rest of the world in marking World Food Day, speakers agreed that achieving “better foods and a better future” depends on sustained collaboration and innovation to build a resilient, inclusive, and nutrition-secure Plateau.

Highpoint was the display of various crops cultivated in the State as well as animals reared in the State including rabbits where breeders are encouraged to commercialise the business.