MAKURDI — The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Benue State Government have reached a major milestone in their mission to modernize Nigeria’s “Food Basket.” On Sunday, March 15, 2026, the Benue Agro-Startup Enhancement Programme (BASEP) concluded its high-stakes “Demo Day,” crowning three innovative startups that are reshaping the agricultural value chain.
The initiative, led by Dr. Elizabeth Onogwu, JICA’s Private Sector Support (PSS) Coordinator, provided intensive mentorship and strategic training to growth-stage startups, aiming to bridge the gap between rural production and global investment readiness.
The “Big Three”: Benue’s 2026 Agribusiness Champions
Following a rigorous evaluation by a panel led by Dr. Halilu Umar (Agricultural Expert, JICA), three startups emerged as the vanguard of Benue’s new agricultural economy:
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Vet Konect (1st Place): A digital powerhouse connecting livestock farmers with verified veterinarians and AI-powered health monitoring. Fresh off its success as a first runner-up at the 2025 World Food Prize ‘Innovate for Impact Challenge’ in Iowa, Vet Konect is now scaling its platform to reach millions of farmers across Africa.
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NAN Organic (2nd Place): A sophisticated beekeeping enterprise. Beyond producing premium packaged honey, NAN Organic provides a digital platform and training for rural beekeepers, effectively turning honey production into a sustainable income engine for Benue’s rural communities.
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Bidvans (3rd Place): A nutrition-focused startup addressing food security. Bidvans specializes in Vitamin A-fortified, ready-to-eat staple foods, targeting vulnerable populations with easy-to-prepare products that do not compromise on nutritional value.
Post-Programme: The Abuja Ecosystem Study Tour
The support for these startups does not end in Makurdi. Samson Igoche, BASEP’s Lead Consultant, announced that the winners would embark on a structured ecosystem study tour in Abuja.
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Strategic Networking: Direct engagement with national innovation institutions and international development partners.
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Funding Pipelines: Exposure to venture capital firms and global donors interested in high-impact agritech.
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Market Expansion: Collaborative sessions to help Benue-born solutions enter national and continental markets under the AfCFTA.
State Support: Subsidies and Modernization
Representing the Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Awav Adum emphasized the Alia administration’s commitment to these winners.
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Input Subsidies: The state will provide direct subsidies and agricultural inputs to the winners to help scale their operations.
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Mechanization Synergy: These startups will be integrated into the broader Agricultural Mechanisation Outgrower Programme, which launched in late 2025 to deploy tractors and modern implements across the state’s 10 farm clusters.
A Growing Partnership
This agribusiness push is part of a broader “Benue-Japan” alliance. Earlier this month, JICA renewed its partnership with the Benue SUBEB to build ICT and vocational laboratories in schools, ensuring that the next generation of Benue citizens are digitally literate and ready for the agribusiness careers created by BASEP winners.
