Dangote Cement Plc has unveiled a Farmers Empowerment Programme in Benue State.
The initiative, launched in the Gboko Local Government Area, aimed to transform 50 farmers from Dangote’s host communities into agricultural entrepreneurs capable of producing both subsistence and cash crops on a commercial scale.
Speaking at the flag-off ceremony, the general manager, Social Performance at Dangote Cement, Johnson Kor, described the initiative as historic and innovative, noting that it marked the first major project to be implemented since the company signed a Community Development Agreement (CDA) with its host communities in December 2024.
“This programme is not just about farming, it’s about economic transformation, it is the first initiative under the new CDA, and our commitment to mutual development is evident in every step of its implementation”, Kor said.
Kor added that the 50 beneficiaries were carefully selected from six catchment areas within Gboko LGA, aligning with the company’s broader community development strategy.
The empowerment package includes fertilizers, agrochemicals, improved seedlings, and knapsack sprayers, all aimed at enhancing productivity and yield.
According to plant director of Dangote Cement Gboko, Munusamy Murugan, who was represented by head of Production, Engr. Soom Kiishi, the programme will be sustained as an annual intervention, with future agricultural support tailored to the specific needs of participating communities.
“This is the first batch but certainly not the last, we are building a platform that will empower our communities economically and support the country’s food production agenda”, Murugan said.
The empowerment initiative comes just two months after the cement giant provided cash grants to businesswomen across its Gboko host communities and significantly increased bursary awards to local students by over 100 per cent.
Dangote Cement also announced an upcoming Youth Empowerment Programme, where selected young people will be trained in Welding & Fabrication and Solar Electrical Installation by certified professionals.
Dr. Ahemen Aondoaver Samuel, a consultant from Abbass Corporate Services, urged beneficiaries to seize the opportunity and become role models for agricultural transformation in their communities.
“This initiative by Dangote Cement is a rare and powerful opportunity,” Dr. Samuel said. “It will create real agribusiness entrepreneurs and contribute directly to the government’s drive for national food security.”
Community members have also applauded the programme. Kwaghgba Isaac, a local resident, hailed the scheme as a historic and huge intervention that would move many households beyond subsistence farming into income-generating agribusiness.
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