Akwa Ibom Distributes Farm Inputs to 3000 Farmers

As part of efforts to ensure food sufficiency in Nigeria, the Akwa Ibom State government has distributed farm inputs to 3000 farmers for this year’s planting season .

The development was disclosed in Uyo by the state Chairman of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Mr Bassey Inwang.

According to Inwang, the distribution was done by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Mrs Mary Ukoette, on behalf of the state government at the Seed Multiplication Farm, Ikot Ekang, Abak Local Government Area of the state.

The AFAN chairman commended Governor Udom Emmanuel’s administration for making the distribution of the input a success, saying the farmers were given cassava cuttings and maize grains to start the new planting season and ensure food sufficiency in the state.

“The farm inputs were cassava cuttings and maize grains, they were distributed to 3,000 farmers this year. There was symbolic planting by the Ministry of Agriculture at Ikot Ekang, Abak, to officially commence the 2022 planting season,” he said.

However, in the area of farm preparation, Inwang pleaded for more government support. According to him, farm clearing and preparation are capital intensive and demand more resources from farmers, adding that there was a need to move away from the traditional farming method to a more sophisticated and mechanised method that would bring an increase in yields and profit.

“Well, we‘ll give them a pass mark. But we need more in the area of mechanised farming, especially in the area of farm preparation. We need tractors, harvesters, and other mechanised farm equipment,” he added.

Inwang, who urged the people of Akwa Ibom to embrace agriculture, appealed to farmers to encourage the youths to be actively engaged in farming to feed the increasing population

Agro Nigeria