By Asuquo Edem
The Akwa Ibom State Government has unveiled a broad range of agricultural and environmental interventions under Governor Umo Eno’s ARISE Agenda, including ₦2 billion in grants to farmers, subsidised mechanisation, 486 kilometres of rural feeder roads and major flood-control and waste-management initiatives.
The interventions were disclosed in Uyo by the Commissioners for Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Offiong Offor, and Environment, Hon Nsikak Ekong, during the ongoing ministerial media briefing.
According to the commissioners, the programmes are targeted at expanding food production, improving rural access, strengthening farmers’ livelihoods and addressing growing environmental challenges across the state.
At the centre of the agricultural intervention is an equipment leasing scheme through which farmers can access tractors and other farm implements at a 50 per cent subsidy on land preparation.
Offor said the initiative was designed to make mechanised agriculture more accessible and reduce farmers’ dependence on traditional methods of cultivation.
The state has also disbursed ₦2 billion in grants to farmers across crop and livestock value chains, with monitoring teams deployed to track beneficiaries and ensure that the funds are used for their intended purposes.
Another major component is the Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project, RAAMP, which has earmarked 486 kilometres of rural feeder roads across the state's 31 local government areas.
The project is jointly funded by the World Bank, the French Development Agency, the Federal Government and the Akwa Ibom State Government.
When completed, the roads are expected to improve farmers’ access to markets, reduce post-harvest losses and facilitate access to schools and healthcare facilities in rural communities.
The administration has also distributed agricultural inputs, including cassava cuttings, maize and pumpkin seeds, while cocoa and oil palm farmers are receiving seedlings under various agricultural programmes.
Under the Tree Crop Revolution Programme, more than 250,000 oil palm seedlings are targeted for distribution across the state, with 14 local government areas already benefiting and about 1,700 farmers reached.
In the cocoa sub-sector, more than 250,000 seedlings were distributed to over 3,000 farmers in 2025, while more than 100,000 seedlings were distributed to over 850 farmers in 2026.
The state has also established a 50-hectare integrated model farm combining crop and livestock production with training, processing and agro-tourism facilities.
The facility includes fish ponds, piggery and poultry units, greenhouses, processing facilities and accommodation.
Offor said young people trained through the facility are being encouraged to establish smaller versions of the integrated model, alongside initiatives such as the Back-to-Farm Initiative, Schools Agriculture Programme and the reactivated Young Farmers Club.
The Akwa Ibom Agricultural Development Programme, AKADEP, has also been revamped to strengthen extension services, while fishing cooperatives have received nets, trays and basins.
On crop productivity, Offor cited the performance of the improved cassava variety UMUCASS 36, saying a farmer in Nsit Ubium Local Government Area recorded between 30 and 35 tonnes per hectare, a result she said was recognised by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, IITA.
On the environmental front, Ekong said the government had intensified interventions to address flooding, erosion and waste management, particularly in Uyo and other vulnerable locations.
She said drainage channels around Abak Road, Aka Road and Ikot Ekpene Road had been desilted following heavy flooding, with interventions also carried out in Shelter Extension and other affected areas.
According to her, while some of the measures were temporary, the state was working on permanent solutions through the review and updating of the Uyo Urban Drainage Master Plan.
The updated plan, she explained, would take into account rapid urbanisation, climate-induced flooding and changes in water flow resulting from increased construction and paved surfaces.
The government has also approved the Clean Akwa Ibom Brigade, an environmental enforcement team expected to monitor flood-prone areas and strengthen compliance with environmental regulations.
Erosion control works are ongoing at the Eneka Ravine, along the Uyo-Ikot Ekpene Road and at Ikot Ekpene Market, while reclamation continues at the former Village site dump area, which is earmarked for redevelopment.
On waste management, Ekong said the State generates approximately 700,000 metric tonnes of solid waste annually, equivalent to about 2,000 tonnes daily.
She said the government was engaging consultants on converting waste into energy and other useful products, including recycling plastics and converting organic waste into fertiliser.
The ministry and the Akwa Ibom State Environmental Protection and Waste Management Agency, AKSEMA, are also monitoring waste evacuation from dump sites.
The State's climate intervention includes tree-planting programmes under ACReSAL, with about 6,250 trees targeted across 10 hectares and another 12,500 trees across 20 hectares of mixed species.
The government is also planning the installation of more than 10,000 solar panels and streetlights across urban and rural communities.
Solar power has already been incorporated into ARISE Compassionate Homes and model primary and secondary schools as part of efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Ekong added that the ministry was developing a Climate Change Policy and working with the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly on legislation to support climate action and carbon-credit opportunities.
Environmental education on waste segregation has also been introduced in primary and secondary schools.
The interventions, according to the commissioners, form part of the State's broader efforts since 2023 to strengthen agriculture, improve rural infrastructure, protect communities from environmental hazards and build resilience to climate-related challenges.
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