Sabastine Hon, Social Democratic Party (SDP) governorship candidate in Benue, has pledged to subsidise agricultural inputs and establish large storage facilities to boost food production and protect farmers from losses.
Mr Hon, who made the pledge in an interview with journalists in Makurdi, said his administration would ensure that the benefits of governance and economic reforms directly reached farmers and rural communities.
He said he would subsidise the cost of agricultural inputs, including fertilisers, to make them affordable to farmers.
“If they are selling a bottle of herbicide for N10,000 or N7,000, I can give it to you for N250,” he said.
The candidate also promised to establish large warehouses and silos to store agricultural produce during periods of bumper harvest.
He said the government would purchase excess produce from farmers at competitive prices to prevent post-harvest losses and protect them from the effects of falling market prices.
According to him, the intervention would enable farmers to benefit from increased production rather than suffer losses caused by market glut.
Mr Hon said the government would release the stored produce into the market when prices began to rise while maintaining affordable prices for consumers.
He explained that the initiative would help stabilise food prices and ensure that the benefits of economic reforms were felt by ordinary citizens.
The SDP candidate said his administration would also prioritise agricultural development as part of broader efforts to improve livelihoods and stimulate the state’s economy.
He stressed that governance should focus on policies that directly improve the living conditions of the people, particularly those in rural communities.
(NAN)