In a concerted effort to move from traditional small scale farming to a more advanced commercial agriculture, the Cross River State government has procured 108 mini-medium sized tractors for subsidized distribution to duly registered farmers’ cooperatives across the State.
The State Commissioner for Agriculture and Irrigation Development, Mr Johnson Ebokpo who disclosed this during a media briefing in his office in Calabar, said Governor Bassey Otu, in his resolve for a transformative agricultural agenda, was determined to prioritize agricultural reforms that address challenges from the roots with emphasis on value addition.
Mr Ebokpo stated that the initiative was aimed at providing better resources for farmers with a clear commitment to not only improve agricultural output but to ensure that every farmer is included in the growth strategy reinforcing the ‘People First’ agenda of the State government.
He explained that the tractors procured were specially designed to suit the local terrain and optimized for economic utility, adding that, “each of the 30 horsepower tractors is equipped with five core implements which include a ridger, seed planter, plough, harrow, and a-one ton trailer bucket.”
In addition to their farming capabilities, the Commissioner said, “these tractors can generate electricity to power grinding machines, irrigation pumps, and dryers. Most importantly, they are fuel-efficient, utilizing a maximum of just 11 litres of diesel to prepare one hectare of farmland.”
To ensure transparency in distribution, the Commissioner hinted that a committee had been constituted and handed a comprehensive framework to guide the process.
He further explained that, “one of the major interventions by the government has been land preparation, a fundamental challenge for many of our farmers. Through strategic collaboration with the National Agricultural Mechanization and Equipment Leasing Company, we are pioneering mechanized agriculture in the State.
“In initiatives like Project Grow and the Cassava Value Chain Development Project, lands are cleared, prepared, and parcellated for efficient use by farmers, ushering in a new era of ease and productivity.”
Mr Ebokpo also noted that government is investing in the emerging coffee value chain as present administration had signed a strategic partnership agreement with JR Farms, a Rwandan investor, to support coffee development.
He added that under the partnership, “we will distribute 5 million seedlings, comprising four million Arabica coffee seedlings to Boki and Obanliku, and one million Robusta seedlings across Abi, Etung, Obubra, Ogoja, Yala, Biase, Akamkpa, Akpabuyo, Odukpani, and Yakurr Local Government Areas,” a distribution which will commence between June and July this year with a second phase of 30 million seedlings scheduled for 2026.
As part of the Coffee Development Programme, the Commissioner said the State government would establish state-owned commercial coffee estates to promote value addition and drive large-scale production, and urged local government authorities to complement government effort by setting up mini coffee estates in their areas.
He assured the people that the State government would provide support through a Public-Private Partnership, PPP, framework to ensure sustainability and shared prosperity.
ln a remark, the Senior Special Adviser to the Governor on Agriculture, Professor John Shiyam pointed out that the project would not only support the livelihood of farmers but also enhance the overall economic stability of the State.
In their separate contributions, the State Chairmen, Oil Palm Growers Association of Nigeria, the Reverend Ojikpong Bisong and the National Coffee and Tea Association of Nigeria, Dr Assam Assam regretted that Cross River used to be the cradle for agriculture but however expressed gratitude to the State government for taking up the responsibility of bringing the State to its original status as an agrarian economy.
Mbah Monday
