How Gov Mutfwang’s Partnership with AfDB Transforms Plateau’s Potato Sector

Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang has been commended for championing agricultural transformation in the State and the African Development Bank (AfDB) lauded for partnering with the government to strengthen the potato value chain.

The State Potato Support Project Coordinator, Jerry Gushop, who gave the commendation, noted that the governor’s guiding slogan, “The land is green, and the time is now,” is already manifesting through practical interventions that are reshaping the fortunes of farmers.

Speaking at the opening of a training workshop on potato processing in Jos, Gushop emphasized that value addition remains the key to increasing farmers’ income, reducing post-harvest losses, and improving government revenue. He stressed that with the enormous investment by both government and farmers in the sector, there is an urgent need to focus on processing and marketing to ensure maximum benefits.

“The workshop is designed to equip farmers with modern processing skills that will help them preserve and package their produce effectively, thereby opening access to larger markets and even export opportunities,” Gushop explained.

He added that potato processing would not only solve the problem of glut but also attract industries and investors to Plateau State, creating more empowerment opportunities for both farmers and processors.

According to him, the initiative is expected to create jobs across the value chain as those who cultivate potatoes will not necessarily be the only ones to process them, thereby expanding participation and revenue streams.

Beneficiaries of the training, drawn from all potato-producing local government areas of the state along with their desk officers, expressed optimism about the prospects the programme offers.

One of the participants, Tok Timothy, said the training had exposed him to new methods of preservation and processing. “After harvest, I will now be able to process my potatoes in diverse ways as taught by the facilitators,” he remarked.

Another farmer, Regina Bonkat, admitted that before the training she lacked knowledge of preservation and export strategies. “I did not know that potatoes could be preserved and even exported through modern methods, but now I have learned strategies that will help me maximize profit,” she said.

With these interventions, the Mutfwang-led administration is positioning Plateau State not only as the hub of potato production in Nigeria but also as a centre for value-added processing that can compete in regional and global markets.