From Uche Nnorom, Makurdi
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Green Harvest Foodstuffs, Prince Joshua Apeh, has said large-scale investment in cassava production and processing in Benue South could turn the crop into Nigeria’s “new crude oil,” creating jobs, strengthening food security and driving economic growth.
Apeh called on governments, farmers, investors and other stakeholders to harness the agricultural potential of Benue South Senatorial District, particularly its capacity for cassava production.
He spoke during the Farmers Awareness and Mobilisation Programme and the flag-off of the Green Harvest Cooperative Society in Otukpo, Benue State.
According to him, Benue South has enormous cassava resources capable of supporting large-scale agro-industrial development, but inadequate processing facilities have prevented farmers from maximising the economic value of their produce.
“Our cassava is our crude oil. Just as crude oil transformed the fortunes of nations, cassava can transform the fortunes of our people if we are willing to invest in it, process it, add value to it and take it to the global market,” Apeh said.
He said increased investment in cassava production and processing could position Benue South as a major food and renewable energy hub while contributing significantly to Nigeria’s food security.
“This is a new dawn for the people of Idoma and for Nigeria. With the capacity we have here, we can contribute significantly to ending hunger in Nigeria and across West Africa,” he said.
Apeh said Green Harvest Foodstuffs was positioning itself to contribute to food security and support the Federal Government’s agricultural and economic development agenda.
He explained that cassava could be processed into various food and industrial products, including flour, livestock feed, bioethanol and biofuel, creating employment opportunities and supporting Nigeria’s energy sector.
According to him, the Green Harvest Cooperative Society was established to provide farmers with access to agricultural inputs, financing, mechanisation and guaranteed markets for their produce.
“We want to create a new environment for farmers where they have a guaranteed off-take market. They should not have to struggle to sell their produce after harvesting. We also want to strengthen food security and reduce post-harvest losses,” he said.
Apeh disclosed that about 3,000 farmers had obtained registration forms to join the cooperative, with more expected to participate following the mobilisation programme.
He said registered farmers would have access to loan facilities, improved cassava stems and seedlings, fertilisers, farm equipment and tractor services to boost productivity.
Apeh said Benue South was chosen as the base of the initiative because of its significant cassava production potential.
“We cannot have such abundant cassava production in Benue South without processing factories to transform it and add value. That is why we are here,” he said.
According to him, Green Harvest currently has the capacity to produce about 250,000 kilogrammes of garri and 300,000 kilogrammes of flour monthly, while plans are underway to expand into livestock feed production and establish a bioethanol plant.
He said the proposed bioethanol facility would utilise locally produced cassava as raw material for fuel production, with potential applications in Nigeria’s downstream oil and gas sector.
On insecurity, which has forced some farmers to abandon their farms, Apeh said the company was developing measures to improve the safety of farmers and agricultural investments.
He said Green Harvest was establishing a situation room to monitor farms, identify potential security threats and alert relevant security agencies.
The company, he added, had provided motorcycles and vehicles to youths involved in farm surveillance and planned to deploy drones and cameras connected to a central monitoring centre.
“We are strengthening our youths to protect the farmlands. We are also bringing in drones for surveillance and installing cameras around farms so that we can monitor activities at any time of the day,” Apeh said.
He acknowledged that the initiative required additional resources and stronger partnerships with government and other stakeholders but said the company remained committed to developing Benue South’s agricultural value chain.
Apeh called on governments to support the Green Harvest model and encourage similar agricultural value-chain projects across the country, saying such initiatives could strengthen rural economies, empower farmers, create jobs and reduce dependence on food imports.
He also acknowledged the Chairman of Green Harvest Foodstuffs, Letthemsay Braboke Inaibagha, for his contribution to the growth and development of the company.
A guest speaker at the event, Mr Gideon Oche Emmanuel, commended Green Harvest Foodstuffs for the initiative and urged governments and investors to establish similar cassava processing facilities in other parts of the country.
Community leaders, including Agara Uwoke, Adakole Onyilokwu and Baba Acheme, also praised the intervention, describing it as an opportunity for the Idoma people to expand cassava production, improve livelihoods and gain wider recognition through agriculture.
Some beneficiaries, including Okpachu Ode, Comfort Okubi and James Adaka, said access to markets, farm inputs and other forms of support would encourage more people to embrace farming and increase agricultural production.
They expressed optimism that the initiative would help farmers secure better returns on their investments while reducing post-harvest losses.
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