One of the states that stands out when talking about rare vegetables, the best varieties of food stuffs, root crops and herbs is Plateau State. Root plants like radishes, beet root, carrots, etc abound, and so does the best varieties of tomatoes, yellow pepper, Irish potatoes.
Sweet potatoes in several varieties can only be grown in Jos. The soil is also friendly to hungry rice in different varieties. If you want to know the varieties, go to Bassa or any Berom community and you would be enlightened.
Cabbage, lettuce, cucumber are grown in abundance. And so is spinach, ugu leaves, spring onions, curry leaves, scent leaves, okro, karkashi, etc. Not to mention kale, parsley and celery.
Medicinal flowery plants like broccoli and cauli flower are grown here. And the soil is very friendly to so many fruits too. It is one of the few places apple grows in Nigeria because of its temperate weather.
No wonder, a visiting Chinese said to Plateau residents :” You have no reason to be sick”. He made these statement after seeing the wealth of herbs, vegetables, fruits that the soil produces.
The Chinese don’t play with diet, especially vegetables, herbs and fruits. They are aware that these groups of foods fortify one’s immunity. In essence, what the Chinese meant was that Plateau people have all it takes to live healthy.
Unfortunately, in spite of the fact that Plateau State’s tomatoes is adjudged as one of the best in the country, I don’t see the state using it to its advantage for revenue drive. There has been no attempt to establish a factory that would process the tomatoes into paste for revenue creation. Instead, we buy from other states that don’t grow tomatoes. What a shame!
It is sad that our farmers just recently discovered that it is possible to do dry season Irish potatoes farming and that there are so many advantages to that. Firstly, it pays a lot. Secondly, diseases do not ravage them during the dry season. The government is yet to take advantage of this to generate revenue. If it has, I’m not aware.
It won’t be out of place to have a packaged chips factory in the state that will generate good money to government coffers. There is a big market for that in Nigeria and it could be exported. God knows Nigerians spend so much on Pringles. Anything similar and sold at a cheap price will be a welcome development.
One was shocked to discover that the best egg in Nigeria as far as quality and durability is concerned is Jos egg. It is common to hear people asking shop owners in Abuja if it is Jos egg if the price is high. Some caterers only go for Jos eggs. But what have we done about it as a state? Nothing! The state could invest in poultry to raise our IGR.
The government has bought back BARC Farms. This is a step in the right direction. Let the activities to be carried out there include poultry, tomatoes farm, growing of broccoli, cauliflower, hungry rice, potatoes etc. Those items other states look to us to get the best. That could put Plateau on the map as the best performing state.
A glaring booster to the economy of the state that we seem to be ignoring is tourism. In the past, the traffic of people coming to the state for conferences, vacation was so much. But due to crises and attacks here and there in different communities within the state, that area of Plateau’s economic life is silent.
It started in a subtle way with the burning of Jos Ultra Modern Market more than a decade ago. Then other orchestrated attacks, all geared towards making a lie of Plateau State slogan: Home of peace and tourism.
So many foreigners and businesses relocated to safer climes just as was intended by the enemies of the state. However, I believe, we can change the narrative. Let’s tell the world our story. And let us all work together as one against our common enemy. Plateau as the name implies, will be great again.
Be encouraged, do not give up. Plateau shall arise again and live up to its name: Plateau! Secure the state and deal decisively with anyone who steps out of place. Plateau arise!!!
