The Cross River Government is strengthening agricultural market systems through “Project Grow” to improve food security, create jobs, and promote sustainable economic growth across the state.
Mr. Johnson Ebokpo, Commissioner for Agriculture and Irrigation Development, announced this during a news conference on the state’s agricultural transformation agenda on Tuesday in Calabar.
Ebokpo described Project Grow as a “major intervention” aimed at fostering enterprise development, enhancing market access, increasing financial inclusion, and delivering long-term economic empowerment for farmers.
He emphasized that Gov. Bassey Otu’s administration views agriculture as a strategic sector with the potential to generate wealth, attract investment, and improve livelihoods.
According to him, the state’s vast agricultural potential has largely remained untapped due to weak market systems, limited financing, poor value-chain development, and low private sector participation.
“Our focus is on building a modern, commercially viable, and investment-driven agricultural economy where farmers, agribusinesses, and investors can thrive,” he said.
The commissioner urged residents and investors to support efforts to develop a resilient, competitive, and prosperous agricultural sector for both current and future generations.
Mr. Dennis Ikpali, Director of the project, stated that the initiative operates across key value chains, including rice, maize, cassava, aquaculture, soybean, and animal fodder.
He added that the state has established an Agricultural Development Fund with guarantees of up to N30 billion to attract private investment.
Ikpali disclosed that the project has facilitated N3 billion in agricultural financing, with an additional N1.5 billion allocated for the 2026 farming season.
“The programme adopts a market systems approach by engaging farmers, processors, aggregators, input suppliers, mechanization operators, and other service providers,” he explained.
He also revealed that off-take agreements worth about N18 billion have been secured for 2,000 metric tonnes of soybean and 20,000 metric tonnes of maize.
“Discussions are ongoing on cassava production and marketing,” he added.
More than 28 agribusiness aggregators and over 20 service providers are supporting farmers under the programme, improving access to quality inputs and reliable markets.
He noted that over 5,300 farmers have been trained in modern farming techniques, financial literacy, and good agricultural practices with support from development partners.
The project director stated that during the pilot phase, participating farmers cultivated 450 hectares of maize and soybean, successfully supplying 114 metric tonnes of soybean to processors.
Ikpali also announced that Project Grow has created 391 direct jobs and aims to expand soybean and rice production through mechanized farming by 2026.
He called on investors and stakeholders to partner with the government to expand the programme and unlock the full potential of Cross River’s agricultural sector.
