Akwa Ibom Agric Investment to partner Solidaridad to boost agriculture, food sufficiency
As part of efforts to boost agricultural activities and enhance food sufficiency in Akwa Ibom State, the Directorate of Agric Investment has commenced negotiations for partnership with Solidaridad.
Solidaridad is a global network registered as a foundation at the Chamber of Commerce in Utrecht, the Netherlands and is working together with different countries for improved agricultural and economic activities.
The organisation has over the years partnered with different regions including; Central America, East and Central Africa, Europe, North America, Asia, South America, Southern and West Africa with specific focus on Nigeria and Ghana.
It is important to note that Solidaridad’s partnership type varies with region as it has partnered different regions for the production of cotton, livestock, tea, sugarcane, fruit and vegetables, gold, soy, cocoa, coffee,textiles, palm oil, aquaculture and diary, while the African partnership is basically on cocoa, coffee,textiles, palm oil, and aquaculture.
The Solidaridad partnership talks preceded from a two (2) Day sensitisation and training workshop organised for oil palm value chain operators including equipment fabricators in Uyo, of which the Directorate of Agric Investment was one of the Ministry, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in attendance.
Represented at the training by the Head of Department, Mr. Ofonmbuk Nelson, the Directorate of Agric Investment reiterated the need for everyone, irrespective of social class to embrace agriculture, and commended the organizers for the training which he described as apt, especially at a time of dwindling economy in the country.
Speaking on the partnership arrangement, the Executive Director, Agric Investment, Pastor Umo Eno said the state is willing and ready to partner with interested persons and organisations to boost agriculture in the state.
The Executive Director said the Governor Udom Emmanuel led administration was committed to sustainable agricultural investment in the state adding that the Directorate of Agric investment is navigating for a paradigm change from the predominantly subsistence farming to a commercial level.
He pointed out that although the state is blessed with arable lands for agriculture, large number of persons were yet to see the need to venture into agriculture.
Pastor Umo Eno commended the State government for creating the enabling environment and facilities for growth of agriculture in the state and the philosophy of self sustenance before 2023.
According to him, the partnership would include building farmers’ capacity to implement best management practices, intensification/rehabilitation efforts and sustainable climate-smart practices for increased productivity, introducing innovation for improved downstream processing to increase palm oil extraction rate and quality, and improve access to finance, inputs and markets for oil palm smallholder farmers and SMEs among others.
He reiterated that the Agricultural Investments is a brain child of the Governor’s high premium on agriculture for food sufficiency and wealth creation; with a mandate to appraise all agricultural investment proposals submitted to the Corporation by investors, attract and promote domestic capital mobilisation and foreign investment for agricultural development, and coordinating the implementation of agricultural investments in the state amongst others.
While expressing optimism over fruitfulness of the partnership, he urged Akwa Ibom people to embrace agriculture and at a commercial scale.
