The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda Goshwe, has launched a far-reaching agricultural intervention aimed at boosting food production and strengthening rural livelihoods in Plateau State, with strategic focus on Pankshin and Kanke Local Government Areas

The intervention saw the distribution of critical farm inputs and mechanised equipment, including a tractor, two hand tillers, 100 units of solar-powered water pumping systems, solar panels, water pumps, fertilisers and 500 bags of improved rice seeds to farming communities and cooperatives across the Plateau Central zone.

Prof. Goshwe on Tuesday visited several farming clusters in Pankshin, inspecting ongoing cultivation activities and interacting with farmers at various project sites.

After touring the fields, he expressed satisfaction with the commitment of local farmers.“My eyes have seen, my hands have touched, and you have proven beyond reasonable doubt that you are ready for farming,” he declared.In fulfilment of earlier pledges, the APC chairman donated a tractor and two hand tillers to a cooperative of farmers in the Fyer community to ease land preparation and expand mechanised farming. He also announced the installation of two solar-powered water-pumping boreholes dedicated to supporting women in agriculture across Plateau’s local government areas.Explaining the rationale behind the intervention, Prof. Goshwe said his passion for agriculture is rooted in his personal background and firm belief that rural productivity remains central to economic growth and food security.

According to him, the solar-powered irrigation facilities will significantly reduce production costs and enable year-round farming.“The irrigation equipment will enable farmers pump water using solar energy, thereby reducing the cost of fuel and supporting all-year farming,” he stated.He urged beneficiaries to maximise the opportunity and remain committed to modern farming practices, assuring that the current support represents only the first phase of a broader agricultural empowerment programme.

The Executive Chairman of Pankshin LGA, Hon. Felix Gonung, described the initiative as a long-awaited intervention capable of transforming the agricultural landscape.“This is one of its kind that we have been praying for. It is the cry of our farmers to have this kind of support. Today, your presence is enough to change the narrative of farming in this land,” he said.

Also speaking, the Executive Chairman of Kanke LGA, Hon. Lapchin Golime, applauded the initiative and pledged grassroots mobilisation to sustain the programme’s impact.“We will join hands together to ensure this liberation reaches the grassroots. We will work shoulder to shoulder to ensure greater participation and productivity,” he assured.On his part, the Executive Chairman of Mangu LGA, Hon. Emmanuel Bala Mwolpun, noted that the intervention would help tackle rural poverty, observing that many farmers rely solely on manual labour due to lack of implements.He called for sustained investment in agricultural infrastructure to transition farming from subsistence to commercial scale.Adding his voice, the Grand Patron of Farmers in Pankshin and Kanke, Prof. Nengak Joje, hailed the programme as transformative and forward-looking.“If this programme succeeds, it will ensure that the dream of lifting farmers out of cycles of poverty becomes a reality,” he said.

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APC National Chairman Empowers Plateau Farmers with Tractor, Solar Irrigation Systems, Improved Seeds