By Faridat salifu & Abbas Nazil
Taraba State has recorded its first successful greenhouse harvest since the facility resumed operations, producing large quantities of green pepper and cucumber.
The milestone is being described by officials as a major step toward repositioning the state as a leader in sustainable, technology-based agriculture.
Navon Gil, the project manager, said in a statement from Abuja that the harvest marks a new chapter for greenhouse farming in the region.
“A new day has indeed arrived for greenhouse farming in Taraba,” he said, adding that the model uses soil-less cultivation methods considered among the most advanced globally.
Gil credited the turnaround to the reactivation of the previously dormant facility and praised the state government for its role in reviving the project.
The greenhouse, once widely known as the “Cucumber Farm,” had nearly collapsed due to administrative neglect before the intervention of Governor Agbu Kefas.
Gil said the decision to conduct a technical review of the farm under the current administration marked the start of its revival.
Technical experts were engaged to bring the facility in line with modern agricultural standards, helping to integrate it into Taraba’s broader transformation agenda.
Gil described Thursday’s harvest as the product of sustained commitment, technical knowledge, and strategic leadership.
“With the success of this harvest, the sky is the limit,” he said.
“We are changing how agricultural business is done in Nigeria.”
Ohad Shiltman, one of the project’s partners, said the initiative aims to meet both local and national demand.
He added that residents of Taraba would benefit from the produce and the economic opportunities tied to the farm’s operation.
Shiltman also pointed to the farm’s proximity to institutions like Taraba State University and the College of Agriculture as an opportunity for training future agricultural entrepreneurs.
He said the facility would support capacity building, generate jobs, and contribute to local economic growth.
