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The Benue State Government has taken significant steps to bolster its agricultural sector and ensure the longevity of its climate resilience initiatives. On Tuesday, October 7, 2025, the State Executive Council (SEC) sanctioned the establishment of the Benue State Agro-Climatic and Watershed Management Agency (BASAWMA). This development was announced to journalists on Wednesday by Dr. Benjamin Ashaver, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, following the SEC meeting at Government House, Makurdi.
Dr. Ashaver explained that BASAWMA is a strategic move to ensure sustainable management of agro-climatic and environmental challenges, even after donor support initiatives conclude. The new agency is designed to function alongside and eventually assume the responsibilities of the donor-supported Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) project, allowing the state to permanently sustain its significant gains and core functions.
In a related update, Dr. Ashaver addressed ongoing efforts to improve the integrity of the agricultural supply chain. He personally issued a strong assurance, pledging stringent quality control measures to prevent any recurrence of poor-quality supplies. “Under me, I give you my word that no single bag of dirty fertilizer will be accepted in our warehouses. I have the capacity and experience to ensure that,” Dr. Ashaver vowed. He further clarified that a major factor contributing to last year’s controversy was the Bureau of Agricultural Mechanization overstepping its mandate by procuring fertilizers without due authorization.
Dr. Ashaver also provided an update on Benue State’s ongoing technical partnership with the Republic of Belarus. He confirmed that approximately 40 Benue indigenes are currently undergoing intensive skill acquisition and technical training in the Eastern European country. While the arrangement remains voluntary, the Commissioner noted that the Belarus government has offered the trainees the opportunity to work in the country for up to ten years upon completing their certification.
Additionally, the government has established an ACReSAL programme, naming Engr. Victor Aman, the current State Coordinator of the ACReSAL project, as the inaugural Director-General of the new agency. In a major pronouncement, the Council adopted a White Paper on the implementation of government views regarding the Report of the 2024 Agricultural Input Verification Committee. The Agriculture and Food Security Commissioner affirmed that the White Paper definitively addresses the irregularities surrounding last year’s agricultural input supply, sales, and distribution, notably the widespread controversy involving substandard fertilizer.
An Implementation Committee, chaired by the Secretary to the State Government, Barr. Aber Serumu Deborah, has been constituted to oversee prompt payment to legitimate vendors who supplied verified inputs and to institute corrective measures against any procedural irregularities discovered within the Bureau of Agricultural Mechanization and the Ministry of Agriculture.
These proactive measures underscore Benue State’s commitment to safeguarding its agricultural sector and enhancing food security for its citizens.
