Jos— The Plateau State Government has spent N12 billion to improve its Agricultural Services and Training Centres, ASTCs, according to Mr Steven Barko, the state Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources.

Barko announced this, yesterday, at a one-day Rice Field Day at Ajikamai in Shendam Local Government Area of the state.

He said that the “huge investment” was aimed at boosting agricultural productivity in Plateau and beyond.

The commissioner said that the country’s dream of attaining food sufficiency would remain a mirage if there were no concrete structures on ground.
“Structures must be on ground before we meet any policy on food sufficiency.

“That is why the Plateau Government has taken steps to put on ground structures to provide extension services for agricultural practitioners.
“We need mechanised farming to meet food sufficiency and that made the government to invest over N12 billion in its ASTCs.

“We have 300 tractors, nine combined harvesters and other machines in the centres.

“With structures like the ASTCs, the Federal Government’s plan to ban the importation of rice by 2015 would be achieved.”

He gave an assurance that the Plateau Government would establish more processing industries to process crops into value added products.

Barko advised other state governments to complement the Federal Government’s Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA) and the Plateau Government efforts by investing in agriculture.

He commended Romarey Ventures, the organisers of the Rice Field Day.
The occasion, he said, affords farmers the opportunity to practically see how to plant the improved varieties of rice seedlings.

Also speaking, Mr Nathaniel Longmut, the Managing Director of the venture, said that the field day was organised to show farmers how the improved varieties could enhance local production.

“Romarey Seed Company organised this Farmers’ Field Day to showcase improved rice varieties commonly distributed under the Growth Enhancement Support Scheme (GES) programme.”

Longmut explained that the company set up demonstration plots to show case the performance of improved varieties like Faro 44, Faro 55, Faro 57, Faro 60 and Faro 61.