By Edidiong Obot
UYO
In a bid to boost food production and promote agricultural interest among young learners, the Akwa Ibom State Government has flagged off the 2025 First Planting Season with the distribution of farm inputs to public primary schools.
The flag-off ceremony, which took place at St. Michael’s African Church Primary School, Effiat Offot, Uyo, was led by the commissioner for agriculture, Dr. Offiong Offor, who emphasised the importance of cultivating pupils’ interest in agriculture and utilising the vast land spaces available in schools.
“We want to reawaken their consciousness. We are taking advantage of the land available in schools. A lot of effort has gone into this farm initiative. We will collaborate with paramount rulers to ensure that livestock owners manage their animals properly. As a ministry, we will continue to support this initiative,” she said.
Offor noted that food remains the most basic human need, highlighting Governor Umo Eno’s consistent advocacy for a return to farming and lauded the governor’s efforts in laying a solid foundation for sustainable agriculture by focusing on primary schools.
She also pointed out that every farming season, the State government supports public primary and secondary schools, tertiary institutions, farmers, and cooperative societies to boost agricultural output.
Offor commended teachers for promoting agricultural values and announced that ministry officials would visit school farms across the state to evaluate performance and encourage healthy competition.
While urging parents and teachers to lead by example, Offor called on them to own gardens or farms to inspire children to see agriculture as a viable career path and restated the need to make effective use of available land in schools to enhance food security.
Earlier, the permanent secretary in the Ministry, Dr. Atim Okoko, acknowledged the governor’s support, which has facilitated the distribution of hybrid farm inputs to public primary schools and stressed the importance of teaching children the value of farming, adding, “When we teach them early, they will see farming as a dignified profession. There should be no fallow land in our schools.”
In her goodwill message, the special adviser to the governor on Agricultural Development, Dr. Owoidighe Ekpoattai, praised the governor for ensuring grassroots access to farming inputs.
Quoting the Bible, she said, “As long as the earth remains, seedtime and harvest shall not cease,” and outlined the benefits of farming to include food security, financial stability and employment, urging everyone to return to agriculture.
The chairman of Akwa Ibom State Agriculture and Food Security Committee, Professor Okon Ansa, represented by Professor Trenchard Ibia, described the distribution as a commendable initiative, noting that the cassava cuttings being distributed were sourced from previous harvests, making the project a sustainable one that would help expand the cassava programme in the State.
Also speaking, the village head of Effiat Offot, Eteidung Udo George, shared his personal experience in farming, saying, “For 35 years, I have not bought palm oil because I produce it from my farm. Let us return to our roots.”
During a training session, the director of Agriculture in the Ministry, Mr. Emmanuel Asuquo, highlighted key factors for improved yield including site selection, timing, land preparation, use of hybrid crops, treatment of cuttings, and proper crop care.
In their separate remarks, representatives from the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), including Mrs. Ubong Udo, and the head teacher of St. Michael’s African Church Primary School, Mr. Simon Edet Udo, expressed gratitude to the governor for prioritising agriculture.
They encouraged schools to make effective use of the farm inputs provided.
Head teacher of Urue Offiong Oruko Primary School, Mr. Michael Osung, appreciated the State government’s efforts but lamented that cattle and goats often stray into school farms and destroy crops, appealing to the State Government and Traditional Rulers to call herders to order to protect the school farms.
The event marked the first phase of input support to 100 public primary schools across the state under the Schools Agricultural Programme and featured a welcome song by members of the Young Farmers Club.
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