By Balimwor Ekpe
The strategic plans of the Cross River State Government towards improved productivity in the agricultural sector have gained more boost with Government’s recent intervention on irrigation development.
One of such irrigation activities recently executed by the leadership of His Excellency, Senator Prince Bassey Edet Otu, was the distribution of solar pumps to farmers in the State.
Declaring the event open, the State Governor who was represented by the Commissioner for Agriculture and Irrigation Development, Hon. Johnson Andiambey Ebokpo stated that the solar pumps were meant to boost agricultural productivity as well as mitigate food insecurity currently ravaging the State and the Country at large.
Ebokpo admonished beneficiaries on judicious use of the farm inputs adding that the Ministry shall detail Agricultural Extension Agents to guide them adequately on the operation of the pumps.
The Agric. Commissioner revealed that the Cross River State Government has proposed a State-wide Irrigation Development Programme where empirical researches will be carried out to ascertain the nature and infrastructural requirements in all tropical forest and savannah regions of the State, adding that results from the exercise will enable the state to establish more irrigation pumps, mini and major dams; all in a bid to increase productivity and food safety in the State.
When asked the place of small holder farmers as the State is plunging into full commercial farming, the Agric. Boss noted that small holder farmers form major part of farming activities.
“Government shall assist smallholder farmers to scale up their peasant farming through mechanisation which will indeed ensure that farm roads are being accessed using caterpillars, tractors, other machines and the entire process would be driven and made possible by small holders farmers,while pushing commercialisation to fruition”, the Commissioner explained.
In separate reaction, the Director General of Rural Electricity Agency, Engr. Mrs Rose .C Odor represented by Mr.Micah Ebinum maintained that the solar pumps were not meant to be kept at home or sold but used in boosting food security in the State, warning that any beneficiary that sells the pumps shall be prosecuted within the frame of the law.
In a vote of thanks, Mrs Eunice Bisong, Director Agric Services, thanked the State Government for facilitating the process while also admonishing the Beneficiaries on adequate utilization of the solar pumps.
Present at the distribution of the solar pumps were Mr Obo Ayi, Head of delivery FADAMA, Anake Christopher, Coordinator NG-Cares and Permanent Secretary,MIDC, Mr Obaji Samuel, the Technical Officer, FADAMA, among others.
