Govt Pledges More Support For Women, Youths In Agric...As AK Community Marks Farmers Day

By UbongAbasi Ise

This year’s annual Farmers’ Day celebration at Ikot Osudu community in Ikot Abasi local government area was a remarkable step up from the previous editions as the state Ministry of Agriculture and Food Sufficiency excites the community with tractors amongst other farm inputs.

The colorful event was graced by top officials in the Agriculture Ministry, Akwa Ibom Agricultural Development Project (AKADEP) including prominent indigenes of Ikot Osudu community as well as major agro stakeholders in the state.

The Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Sufficiency, Dr. Uduak Udo-Inyang expressed delight and satisfaction over the interest the people of Ikot Osudu show towards agricultural productivity.

Udo-Inyang, who was represented by Engr. Richard Ekpe, the Director of Agriculture in the state Ministry of Agriculture and Food Sufficiency, said that the time is right to recognize immense contribution made by farmers in agriculture, especially in Ikot Osudu community for which the celebration targeted.

He said the ministry is working towards fashioning out initiatives that would drive youths and women into agriculture thereby making them see agriculture as a business, and not as a pastime practice usually done at a subsistent level.

He appreciated the staff of the ministry of Agriculture and Extension officers who are working tirelessly to ensure that farmers in Ikot Osudu succeed.

Udo-Inyang said he was impressed by the maintenance culture of the people of Ikot Osudu towards handing facilities at their disposal.

The Commissioner also mentioned that the most important thing the community needs at this stage are their commitment and interest so as to get proper information about the business of agriculture for better yield.

Dr. Udo-Inyang expressed the readiness of the state government to give assistance to farmers on whatever platform available at any given time.

Also Speaking, the project manager of AKADEP, Elder Idem Idung, who went round to inspect farms and processing mill, said that the people of Ikot Osudu are indeed blessed with a very fertile land while promising to assist the farmers in the community through extension agents by way of supervision and inspection of their farms as this would help in tackling any challenge they may encounter in future.

Udo-Inyang

He also encouraged them to manage and sustain farm equipments provided to them while tasking them to take farming as business for increased profit.

In his remark, the chairman of the occasion, Deacon Godwin O.J. Udoko commended the Commissioner for the intervention and provision of farm imput to aid farmers in the community to farm with ease, while appealing to the Commissioner for more assistance in order to upgrade from subsistent to mechanized farming system.

Udoko noted that in time past, Ikot Osudu community were embracing farming as means of livelihood to the extent of giving their land to government for the purpose of farming. He urged the people of Ikot Osudu to look into the future as better days await farmers in the community.

Deacon Godwin Udoko, stressed the need for them to go back to farming because oil is no longer reliable due to the dwindling fortunes of the oil in the country. In his word, “What we need to do is to go back to the farm”. According to him, with a small hectare of land for mechanized farming, there would be bumper harvests.

In his conclusion the chairman said that farmers need education and not just money in order to succeed in farming business.  

Source: The Sensor Newspaper