BY UKET OKA, Calabar
The Cross River State Government has concluded plans for the production of 240 hectares of maize in the three Senatorial districts of the state before the end of 2024.
The State Governor, Prince Bassey Otu, made this known Tuesday, while addressing maize farmers in Efioedem, Ekpenidem and Ekim Ebebit communities at Ekpenidem Town Council Hall.
Otu, who spoke shortly after the training of maize farmers on modern techniques for the cultivation of maize by agriculture extension officers, noted that with the application of the knowledge gained at the training, maize farmers have prospects of breaking even and turning themselves to millionaires in the nearest future.
The governor, who was represented by the State Commissioner for Agriculture and Irrigation, Mr. Johnson Ebokpo Jr. stated that 200 maize farmers had been profiled for N1m financial assistance by ‘Project Grow’ agric scheme to boost maize cultivation in the test run phase.
Flagging off the project at the proposed maize field at Akim Ebebit, the governor said: “I think we have excess of 200 farmers, that is because the land that is available had been mapped for this test run phase, is about 120 hectares in Odukpani.”
“I know these activities are taking place simultaneously in Obanlikwu and Obubra. In totality it should be about 240 hectares that is available for the first phase.
“We are also cultivating cassava too, we will also go to the proof of concept which is the third phase in this season. If it goes well in this season the next season, we will do soya beans and cowpea as well.
“There is a lot of arable land here but Its difficult to cultivate. The cost of opening up land is expensive.
“In order for us to open up land in a sustainable manner, and preserve forest ecology, we decided to group every body in one place, to enable the four communities who donated land cultivate on the land,” he said.
A youth leader and beneficiary of Project Grow, Maize Project in Ekim Ebebit community, Okokon Asuquo, expressed happiness over the initiative and lauded the state governor for mapping out strategies to lift the community youths out of the shackles of poverty.
Also speaking, a community leader, Chief Justin Asuquo said that as a community, they would find ways to ensure that stealing of maize by those who refused to participate in the farming project would not be allowed.
Speaking on small scale farmers aggregation model, Nigerian Agriculture Extension and Advisory Services (Actually Feed the Future ), Mrs. Faith Omori and the Project Grow Technical Director, Denis Ikpali, advocate women inclusion in the maize cultivation project.