Governor Bassey Otu of Cross River State has outlined the ongoing efforts to revolutionize the state’s agriculture sector, aiming to make it a key pillar of the economy.
Leveraging the state’s abundant rainfall, fertile soil, and vast lands, the government is committed to revitalizing agriculture.
Governor Otu highlighted his administration’s achievements in agriculture, announcing upcoming support packages for smallholder farmers to boost food production, fight hunger, and ensure food security.
“The State Government has inaugurated a committee for the Value Chain Policy and Strategy Development for cocoa, oil palm, and coffee,” Otu said. He added that this initiative, which has sparked a food crops revolution, will also extend to cash crops like cocoa and oil palm.
Reflecting on the past, Otu noted that agriculture was the backbone of the state’s economy in the 1960s and 1990s. His administration has strategies to revive cocoa and natural rubber plantations, oil palm, timber, and various food crops, including cassava, yam, rice, maize, and millet.
He attributed recent agricultural setbacks to an overemphasis on the extractive industry. “We are now poised to transform the agricultural landscape for the better,” he stated.
Governor Otu stressed the significant employment potential within the agriculture value chain, its role in reducing youth restiveness, and its contributions to food security and combating hunger. His administration is taking bold steps to rejuvenate the sector, recognizing the crucial role smallholder farmers have played in sustaining food security ahead of the shift to mechanized agriculture.
He also announced that the re-mapping and re-classification of state-owned land in the Southern Senatorial District for commercial agriculture have been completed.
