The governor of Nasarawa State, Engr. Abdullahi Sule has praised the Sasakawa Africa Association (SAA) for its role in advancing rice and cassava value chains in the state, aligning with his administration’s agricultural development goals.
During a courtesy visit by SAA’s board and management, led by its president, Dr. Makoto Kitanaka, the governor acknowledged Sasakawa’s support. Kitanaka expressed appreciation for the state’s backing and assured continued assistance to farmers.
Sasakawa, through the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has established rice value chain development centres in Nasarawa, enhancing rice production, processing and marketing in hubs located in Assakio and Agwatashi. Additionally, Sasakawa has set up over 200 hectares of cassava seed multiplication fields as part of the BASICS-II project with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA).
Sule emphasised the significance of rice and cassava in the state’s food security and industrial plans, noting the ongoing rice harvest across 1,700 hectares, with yields improving to 3-5 tonnes per hectare. He was optimistic that, with Sasakawa’s partnership, the state could reach its target of 10 tons per hectare.
He also noted the success of the cassava seed system project in making Nasarawa a hub for quality planting materials for the north-central region. The governor highlighted plans to integrate cassava into food and energy production, particularly ethanol.
SAA Nigeria’s country director, Dr. Godwin Atser commended the governor contributions to the rice value chain centres, attributing their success to his guidance. Atser outlined Sasakawa’s introduction of climate-smart agriculture, decarbonisation in rice and maize production, and organic fertiliser initiatives.
A statement from SAA’s communication officer, Moses Nongoatse detailed the delegation’s composition, which included representatives from SAA headquarters in Tokyo and staff from Nigeria, Ethiopia, Mali and Uganda.
In a related event, SAA and the Nasarawa State Agricultural Development Programme renewed a Memorandum of Understanding to bolster agricultural extension services, focusing on technology dissemination and training extension staff for improved crop productivity and food security.
