A/Ibom Flag-off Second Season Planting

dignitaries

Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State has flagged-off the 2015 Second Season Planting. The event recently took place at the Seed Multiplication Farm, Ikot Okudom , Eket Local Government Area of the state.

The occasion which was at the instance of the state Technical Committee on Agriculture and Food Sufficiency in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources brought together major stakeholders in the agriculture sector as well as recognised farmers’ associations and cooperatives.

The Commissioner of Agriculture, Dr Matthew Nathan Ekaette in his opening address remarked: “Gone are the days when people expected output and harvest only in December when we have the endowment to plant twice in a year. There are some crops we can plant two or three times a year and by so doing meet the demand and breach the supply–demand gap,” he said.

Bridging the demand-supply gap through enhanced agricultural practices is the focal point of the current industrialization drive of the state government. This was again reaffirmed by the governor, who in spite of the rain personally flagged-off 2015 the second season planting in the state.

In his address, the governor revealed that the re-direction of focus to farming, reduction of prices of stable food in the state by 50% within two-and-a-half years, and food sufficiency informed the official flag-off of the second season planting in Akwa Ibom State.

The occasion was rounded-off with the inspection of the moribund Cassava Processing Plant at Ikot Okudom with the prospect of bringing the facility back to life and making it a one-stop shop for value added cassava products.

His words: “We want to make food sufficient; … there is nothing that can stop us,” Emmanuel said.