Good news for Benue rice farmers

Benue State Government is partnering Middlemarsh Cooperative Farms and Baban Ruwa community of Uvir in Guma Local Government Area through the ministry of agriculture to cultivate 300 hectares of rice as part of efforts to ensure food security.

Executive Director of the company, Charissa Hayes, British Born Jamaican disclosed this on Thursday at the Benue Peoples House Makurdi during a courtesy call on Governor Samuel Ortom.

She noted that the company intends to cultivate ‘FARO 44’ rice as the variety which produces high yield, stressing that machinery and other equipment would also be deployed for the project which would employ about 200 persons.

Governor Samuel Ortom described the project as laudable and a venture that would add value to the farming communities of Baban Ruwa and the state in general, saying the pond had been underutilised over the years.

The Governor stated that his administration would always welcome such partnerships that seek to add value to farming, pointing out that both rainy and dry season farming would be practiced at the proposed site.

Governor Ortom while pledging government support, urged the community to protect the facility and equipment that may be deployed for the project, adding that the knowledge to be impacted would benefit future generations too.

Chairman Guma Local Government Council, Hon. Caleb Aba and the Chairman Baban Ruwa Land Committee, Barrister Innocent Daagba said the council and community had agreed on the terms and were ready to sign a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU on Friday.

They expressed appreciation to the Governor for siting the project in the area and solicited sustained support for its success.