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The Benue State Government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Federal Government for the implementation of the Sustainable Integrated Productive Community (SIPC) programme, a major initiative aimed at transforming agricultural productivity, reducing post-harvest losses, and promoting sustainable rural development.
The MoU was signed at the Federal Ministry of Finance in Abuja, with Governor Hyacinth Iormem Alia leading the Benue delegation. The Minister of State for Finance, Doris Uzoka-Anite, signed on behalf of the Federal Government.
Speaking at the ceremony, the minister described SIPC as a strategic intervention designed to create structured farming communities equipped with modern support systems. She explained that the programme will provide solar-powered housing, improved seedlings, farm inputs such as fertilisers and herbicides, and guaranteed off-takers to process farm produce into secondary products. Benue and Niger States have been selected as pilot states for the initiative.
Governor Alia stated that the programme aligns perfectly with his administration’s drive to reposition Benue as a leading agricultural hub in Nigeria. He committed 100 hectares of land across the state for the pilot phase and assured the state government’s full support for the successful implementation of SIPC.
When fully operational, the programme is expected to significantly reduce post-harvest losses, enhance food security, address housing gaps in farming communities, and facilitate the resettlement of willing Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) into secure agricultural clusters.
The SIPC initiative is domiciled under the Ministry of Finance Incorporated, which holds majority shares in the Nigerian Sovereign Wealth Fund, providing the necessary financial framework for the project.
The signing represents a key step in the collaboration between the federal and state governments to revitalise agriculture, improve rural livelihoods, and build resilient farming communities in Benue State.
