To achieve large potato farming output, product development, value addition, and processing in the nation, the Federal Government has developed a five-year strategic plan for potatoes.
The national potato strategy, which aims to usher in a period of productive competitiveness in the potato sector, would, according to the government, follow in the footsteps of the rice policy.
In Jos, Plateau State, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Umakhihe, said: “Potatoes may be cultivated for commercial purposes in 12 states, which supports the operations of many stakeholders. In order to quickly develop Nigeria’s potato industry into a financially viable sector of the Agricultural Value Chains and a significant export commodity, the core goal of this plan is to achieve sustained food and nutrition security.
He stated that the ministry was committed to the sector’s development with the aim of promoting economic growth through diverse agricultural value chain activities and consequently generating job opportunities for the nation’s teeming young and women.
This was said by Umakhihe during the formal Jos launch of the 2023–2028 National Potato Strategy. According to him, the ministry is beginning a large program of manufacturing, processing, value addition, and product development as the foundation for advancing the industries.
The Permanent Secretary, who was represented by the Federal Department of Agriculture’s Director, Abduallahi Abubakar, reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to the sector’s development and added that the objective is to stimulate economic growth through various agricultural value chain activities in order to create employment opportunities and better living conditions for the teeming youths and women.
He claims that the main goal of this plan is to guarantee long-term food and nutrition security with the intention of accelerating the development of the Nigerian potato industry into a financially viable sub-sector of the Agricultural Value Chains as a significant export good.
The ministry is aware of the difficulties facing the agriculture industry, he continued, but “I promise that required steps are being done to handle them appropriately. This inclusive cooperation may be facilitated by proactive initiatives like the National Potato Strategy.
Caleb Mutfwang, the governor of Plateau State, stated in his speech that his government will keep looking for ways to work with important stakeholders to increase potato production and farming in the state.
The state is the home of the potato, the governor, who was represented by Commissioner of Agriculture and Natural Resources Bugama Samson Ishaku, said, adding that all hands must be on deck to ensure the National Potato Strategy is implemented for long-term food and nutrition security.
