The Benue State Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) Project, in partnership with the Federal College of Land Resources Technology (FECOLART), Kuru, Plateau State, is set to identify and develop marketable forest products aimed at improving rural livelihoods.
The partnership was unveiled on Monday at the ACReSAL Project Office in Makurdi during a coordination meeting on the identification and development of Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs).
The five-day exercise, scheduled for 14th–18th September, 2026, is being implemented in collaboration with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA).
Leader of the FECOLART delegation, Mr. Yuwa Joshua, said the team would train agricultural extension workers who would work with selected communities to identify useful Non-Timber Forest Products and explore ways of developing and marketing them.
He said the exercise would generate information needed to create sustainable income opportunities and strengthen value chains around locally available resources.
Welcoming the delegation on behalf of the State Project Coordinator, Bldr. Victor Ama, the Monitoring and Evaluation Officer of ACReSAL, Engr. Samson Naakaa, assured the team of the project’s full cooperation and support.
He reaffirmed ACReSAL’s commitment to partnerships that promote sustainable agriculture, environmental restoration and improved livelihoods.
Also speaking, the Director, Bureau for Agricultural Development and Mechanisation, Mrs. Dooshima Zaki, described the initiative as timely and expressed confidence in the extension workers to drive its success.
She noted that their close contact with farmers and understanding of grassroots needs placed them in a strategic position to ensure effective implementation of the programme.
