GALVANIZATION OF OUR CORE AGRICULTURAL VALUE CHAIN IDENTIFIED AS KEY TO ECONOMIC RECOVERY, JOB CREATION IN AKWA IBOM, POST COVID-19.

The chairman, Akwa Ibom State Economic Reconstruction Implementation Committee (ERIMC) Professor Akpan Ekpo has stated that galvanizing corea agriculture value chains in the state could just be the magic wand to fast-tracking the state’s economic recovery and providing the much needed jobs for citizens of the state. Ekpo stated this earlier today at the end of a facility tour of VIKA farms, Mbak Etoi, Uyo.

The Committee chairman maintained that agriculture holds the key to unlocking the full economic potentials of the State in the post Covid era and stated further that the value chain in the agriculture sector has embedded in it, several business opportunities, capable of gainfully employing the citizenry if properly harnessed.

Speaking further on the essence of the tour, Ekpo said the tour aims at identifying challenges so as to drive solutions in facilitating market linkages for greater sustainability for farmers in the state.

At VIKA farms, an integrated agricultural enterprise, comprising of over 50 acres of Oil Palm plantation, Cocoa, Vegetables and livestock farm, the Economic Reconstruction team was received by the CEO of the Farm, Dr Asikpo Essien Ibok.
The chairman was accompanied on the tour by the secretary of the committee, Prof Emmanuel Onwuoidikut, Messrs. Udom Inoyo and Ime Uwah, both members of the committee.