Since assumption of office on May 29, 2023, one very remarkable attribute of Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, has been his commitment to delivering on the ARISE Agenda for the general good of the people.
The five-pronged development blueprint has received commendable attention with manifest strides in Agricultural Revolution, Rural Development, Infrastructure Maintenance and Advancement, Security Management, and Educational Advancement.
Agriculture, which occupies the first and key component of the ARISE Agenda, has particularly received deliberate attention from the Governor who believes that the sector holds the key to sustainable economic growth, job creation and food security.
Like a farmer who patiently sows seeds with the confidence that the harvest season will surely come, the present administration has planted strategic initiatives that are already germinating across the agricultural landscape of the State.
A case in point is the establishment of the 50-hectare Ibom Model Farm at Nsit Ubiun Local Government Area, conceived as a centre of modern agricultural practices and training for youths, cooperatives and agribusiness enthusiasts.
Inspired by the renowned Songhai Farms model, the project integrates crop cultivation, livestock production and agro-processing within a structured ecosystem designed to promote food sufficiency and generate employment opportunities.
As observed by stakeholders in the agricultural sector, the passion demonstrated by the Governor to see agriculture thrive has seen renewed participation of young people in farming and agribusiness across the State.
Another remarkable step taken by the administration is the introduction of the ARISE Home Farm Scheme, a strategic initiative to encourage residents to cultivate food within their homes and immediate environments. The scheme has strengthened household food security while complementing the Back-to-Farm Programme, which has rekindled public interest in agriculture.
In the same vein, Governor Eno recently launched the Tree Crop Revolution, a strategic policy direction in view to revitalize oil palm cultivation and expanding agricultural value chains across the State.
A major step in this direction was the commencement of the enumeration of oil palm farmers across all local government areas of the State. The exercise, which is conducted free of charge, is designed to build a credible database of genuine farmers, identify cultivation gaps and provide improved seedlings and technical support to farmers.
To strengthen coordination and accelerate delivery of results, the Governor also directed that the Akwa Ibom Agricultural Development Programme – AKADEP be placed under the direct supervision of the Office of the Secretary to the State Government.
This strategic realignment has already breathed new life into the agency overseeing agricultural extension services, while clearly signalling the administration’s determination to make agriculture the bedrock of economic transformation, rural empowerment, and food security across the State.
Beyond cultivation, the administration has also supported farmers with oil palm processing mills and tomato processing equipment for cooperatives across the State in order to reduce post-harvest losses and promote agro-industrial development.
Similarly, through the AK-CARES Phase II Programme, thousands of farmers have received agricultural inputs and productive assets to boost productivity, while the distribution of solar-powered water pumps in collaboration with the Rural Electrification Agency has supported dry season farming and expanded farming cycles.
In furtherance of his vision to integrate agriculture into learning and youth development, the State Government has also distributed farm inputs to public schools across the State. The initiative is designed to encourage students to see agriculture as a viable career path capable of creating wealth and sustaining livelihoods.
In his drive to integrate agriculture into the daily life of citizens, the Governor also declared every last Friday of the month a work-free farming day for civil servants, a policy put in place to encourage wider participation in food production and reinforce the collective responsibility required to achieve agricultural revolution.
Complementing these interventions is the free food distribution programme which has reached over 500,000 vulnerable households across the State, as well as the establishment of a Bulk Purchase Agency to supply food items at subsidized rates and cushion the impact of inflation on citizens.
As rightly noted by Oscar de la Renta, Dominican-born American fashion designer, “things never happen on accident. They happen because you have a vision, you have a commitment, you have a dream.”
The vision, commitment and dream of Governor Eno as encapsulated in the ARISE Agenda is steadily transforming Akwa Ibom State into a green hub of productivity, food security and shared prosperity.
