By Oiza Bello
Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Usman Ododo, has flagged off the 2026 cashew production season with the distribution of over five million improved hybrid cashew seedlings to registered farmers across the state.
Speaking at the flag-off ceremony held at the Government House in Lokoja, Governor Ododo described the initiative as a major turning point in the state’s agricultural and economic transformation agenda.
He said the programme reflects his administration’s commitment to inclusive, grassroots-driven development, aimed at unlocking the vast potential of Kogi State’s agricultural sector, particularly the cashew value chain.
The Governor, who noted that cashew remains one of the most valuable and globally competitive tree crops, described it as a strategic economic asset capable of driving rural prosperity, sustainable growth, and wealth creation.
Governor Ododo urged farmers to view government regulations not as obstacles but as catalysts for sustainable growth, explaining that existing policies were carefully designed to protect farmers, attract credible investors, eliminate exploitation, and ensure equitable distribution of benefits within the agricultural sector.
Also speaking at the event, the Director-General of the Kogi State Commodity Exchange, Export Promotion and Market Development Agency (KOSCEPA), Mr. Adewale Omofaiye, said the initiative underscores a deliberate policy direction that places agriculture, structured markets, and commodity development at the core of the state’s economic growth strategy.
Mr. Omofaiye noted that the Cashew Procurement and Trade Policy, which took effect in November last year, provides a clear regulatory framework aimed at enhancing productivity, quality control, market access, and value retention within the state.
Edited by Ajifa Ainoko
About The Author
