Farmers, schools in A’lbom receive grants, farm inputs

In a bid to increase food production and availability in Akwa Ibom, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, has distributed farm inputs and various seedlings to more farmers and over 135 primary and secondary schools in the state. This is in addition to grants running into millions of naira.

The Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Offiong Offor, gave this statistics in press conference with journalists in Uyo.

Dr. Offor, who was briefing journalists on the modalities to distribute the federal government’s recently donated rice to Akwa Ibom and other states as well, said the state government had been working hard to ensure food availability and affordability in the state.

She said to achieve this, maize grains, pepper and coconut seedlings had been distributed to schools in order to achieve state government’s action plan on food sufficiency and affordability.

The Commissioner further disclosed that over 150,000 cocoa seedlings, 20 metric tonnes of rice and livestock and poultry supplies had also been distributed to farmers across the state.

She said the inputs and seedlings distributed were in addition to grants of N150,000 to 1,560 beneficiaries, as well as agricultural inputs and services to 900 farmers under AKCARES Sheme of the state government.

“ The Ministry of Agriculture has implemented several strategic interventions, including distribution of cassava cuttings, maize grains, pepper seedlings, and coconut seedlings to 135 public primary and secondary schools. Additionally, we have distributed 150, cocoa seedlings to cocoa farmers, 40, 000 oil palm seedlings to oil palm farmers, 80,000 pepper seedlings to vegetable farmers, 20 metric tons of rice shared to rice farmers across the state, and livestock and poultry supplies to poultry farmers”.

The Commissioner said all the state government’s interventions were a direct response to mitigate the current food crisis and high inflation ravaging the nation, stressing that the government would also pursue long term measures to surmount food challenges.

“ We are currently facing a significant developmental challenge: hunger caused by food insufficiency, unavailability, and inflation. This issue, a direct result of macro-economic factors, poses a challenge to both federal and state governments. According to our leader, Governor Umo Eno, times like these require creative thinking and taking responsibility, rather than indulging in blame games, which only worsen the situation”.

On the modalities for the distribution of the federal government’s rice to states, Dr. Offor disclosed that the state government had augmented the donation by adding 24,000 bags, an initiative she said was instituted for the rice to rice more families in the state.halt

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“ In response, Governor Eno has decided to augment the federal government’s donation by adding 24,000 bags to their 24,000 bags of 20kg rice. This initiative aims to reach more families with much-needed support.

“ Through this food intervention, each of the 2,272 gazetted villages in the state will receive 20 bags of rice. This is in addition to the over 100,000 families from the social register who have already received, or will soon receive, free food items from the state government through the Bulk Purchase Agency”.

The Commissioner, who said Governor Umo Eno was appreciative of the federal government’s gestures to cushion the harsh effects of hunger and inflation on the citizens, disclosed that the state government would continue to collaborate with the federal government to ensure that the challenges were brought to a halt.

Dr. Offor revealed that “ distribution of the Federal and State Governments’ food intervention will occur at Local Government Council Headquarters, from where Council Chairmen will ensure the safe transportation of 20 bags to each gazetted village. Distribution dates will be announced soon”.

The Commissioner therefore, urged Akwa Ibom people to continue to support Governor Umo Eno-led administration to achieve food availability and affordability for citizens and others in the state.