The Cross River State Government, through the Ministry of Agriculture, has unveiled a comprehensive program aimed at empowering farmers across the state.
The efforts align with Governor Bassey Otu’s vision of transforming the agricultural sector to drive inclusive growth, economic sustainability, and enhanced food security.
A statement on Wednesday by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Gill Nsa quoted the State Commissioner for Agriculture and Irrigation Development, Hon. Johnson Ebokpo as emphasizing the Governor’s commitment to reforms that prioritize value creation for both farmers and their communities.
“From the onset, the vision of our dear Governor has always been to move Cross River State agriculture beyond subsistence farming to large-scale commercial agriculture with a strong emphasis on value addition,” Commissioner Ebokpo stated.
Key components of the support program according to the commissioner include:
subsidized support for smallholder farmers, where the ministry is addressing key challenges faced by smallholder farmers, especially in land preparation, through targeted subsidies.
Other components are, mechanized agriculture Initiatives which is in collaboration with the National Agricultural Mechanization and Equipment Leasing Company (NAMEL)
Under the initiative,the ministry is implementing programs such as Project Grow and the Cassava Value Chain Development Project, which introduce modern farming techniques.
The commissioner outlined other components such as, Tractor Acquisition Scheme, where the ministry has acquired 108 mini and medium-sized tractors, which will be distributed to registered farmers’ cooperatives at subsidized rates.
He said that a dedicated committee has been set up to ensure a transparent distribution process, which will include public applications and a rigorous screening exercise.
Read also:
- AfDB Pledges support to Cross River’s health, agricultural sectors
- Cross River Government secures ownership of defunct Rubber Estates to boost economic
- Shettima flags off Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone in Cross Rivers, describes it as game changer
Statewide sensitization tour: is another component where directors of agriculture, supervisors, extension officers, and farmers across the three senatorial districts were engaged.
According to the commissioner,the campaign emphasized the importance of farmer registration at the local government level, encouraging free registration under the preferred value chain.
“Currently, we are expanding focus on cocoa production in the state. We have made a strategic move to boost the agricultural sector beyond current efforts,” Commissioner Ebokpo explained.
“We are building a sustainable and profitable agricultural sector in Cross River State through a holistic approach—modernizing farming techniques, promoting agribusiness, improving market access for farmers, and implementing inclusive growth policies,” he concluded.
The ministry urged all farmers in Cross River State to actively participate in the ongoing registration process and take advantage of the support programs being offered.
