The Akwa Ibom State Government has intensified efforts to commercialise agriculture through mechanisation with the inauguration of an ultra-modern agricultural equipment leasing facility at Ekpri Nsukara, Uyo, by Governor Umo Eno.
The facility, christened the Ibom Equipment Leasing Hub, is designed to support mechanised farming, strengthen food security and drive the state’s transition from subsistence agriculture to commercial-scale production.
Speaking at the inauguration, Governor Eno said the project aligns with his administration’s ARISE Agenda and underscores government’s commitment to boosting food production, reducing the cost of food and positioning agriculture as a viable economic enterprise.
According to the Governor, the facility is intended to empower farmers, cooperatives and agribusiness operators with access to modern equipment to scale up cultivation and improve productivity.
“Agriculture must no longer be seen as subsistence, but as a profitable business venture,” he said, adding that the initiative would also attract greater youth participation in farming.
Governor Eno described the leasing hub as the first phase of broader interventions aimed at making agriculture more productive and rewarding, while disclosing that Akwa Ibom State University has been engaged to manage the Ibom Model Farms and greenhouses along Airport Road, Uyo, to strengthen research, innovation and output in the sector.
Earlier, Commissioner for Agriculture, Offiong Offor, gave an overview of the project and expressed confidence in its effective and sustainable management.
The initiative also drew commendation from farmers, with industrial farmers’ spokesperson, Hogan Edet Bassey, describing the facility as a major boost to mechanised agriculture and food production in the state.
Bassey said the intervention would help farmers improve yields, expand cultivated land and accelerate the shift from peasant farming to commercial agriculture.
He praised the government not only for providing modern tractors and implements, but also for incorporating maintenance and repair facilities, which he described as critical to the sustainability of the initiative.
The equipment leasing facility features administrative blocks, a maintenance workshop, tractor bays, a fleet of tractors with implements and low-bed trailers to support efficient operations and technical support services for farmers and agribusiness operators.
The project represents a significant milestone in Akwa Ibom’s agricultural transformation drive and reinforces government’s resolve to position agriculture as a thriving agribusiness sector capable of driving food sufficiency, job creation and economic growth.
