Cross River State has officially launched its 2026 farming season with the rollout of a large-scale agricultural support programme designed to improve food production, strengthen rural livelihoods, and position the state as a major player in Nigeria’s agribusiness economy.
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The flag-off ceremony, led by the Commissioner for Agriculture and Irrigation Development, Hon. Johnson Andiambey Ebokpo KSM, also featured the distribution of improved seed yams, soybean varieties, fertilizers, and other farm support materials to farmers across the state.
Speaking during the event, the Commissioner described the initiative as more than a seasonal farming intervention, saying the state government is building a modern agricultural system driven by innovation, technology, and long-term productivity.
“Agriculture remains the backbone of our economy and the primary source of livelihood for thousands of households,” Ebokpo said.
“What we are distributing today is not just farm input; it is an investment in the future prosperity of our farmers and rural communities.”
The programme is one of the most ambitious agricultural interventions announced by the Cross River State Government under Governor Apostle Senator (Dr.) Prince Bassey Edet Otu, with a strong focus on food security, seed systems development, farmer training, and value-chain expansion.
A major highlight of the initiative is the introduction of the Rapid Seed Yam Multiplication Technology in partnership with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA).
The technology is expected to address one of the major problems affecting yam farming in Nigeria — the low multiplication ratio associated with traditional yam propagation methods.
Under the conventional system, farmers often reserve nearly 30 percent of harvested yams as planting material for the next season, reducing available food supply and increasing production costs.
To tackle this challenge, Cross River State is deploying the Yam Minisett Technique, a propagation system jointly developed by IITA and the National Root Crops Research Institute.
The method allows farmers to generate between 20 and 30 planting setts from a single seed yam weighing between 500 grams and 1000 grams.
Officials say the approach will significantly reduce the cost of seed yam production while increasing planting material availability for farmers across the state.
Ahead of the farming season launch, the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation Development, in collaboration with IITA, organized a one-week “Train-the-Trainer” workshop involving more than 400 yam farmers, extension officers, and agricultural personnel.
Participants received practical training in rapid seed yam multiplication, improved agronomic practices, modern yam minisett technology, as well as disease and pest management techniques.
Following the training exercise, the Ministry also received 8 metric tonnes of improved seed yams from IITA for distribution to farmers statewide.
The Cross River State Government further announced plans to establish 40 community-led Seed Yam Centres across the 18 Local Government Areas of the state.
The centres are expected to function as sustainable agricultural hubs for certified seed yam production, multiplication, preservation, farmer education, and community-based distribution systems.
According to the Commissioner, the centres will be regulated and licensed by the National Agricultural Seeds Council to ensure quality assurance, traceability, and farmers’ access to certified planting materials.
Officials say the intervention is expected to gradually reduce the risky and expensive journeys many Cross River farmers currently undertake to neighbouring states such as Benue and Taraba in search of seed yams.
“These journeys expose farmers to accidents, kidnappings, armed robbery attacks, swindling, and other avoidable risks,” the Commissioner stated during the event.
Nigeria currently contributes roughly 67 to 70 percent of global yam production, making yam one of the country’s most strategic food crops.
Cross River State says it is now positioning itself to become a major centre for yam production, seed yam commercialization, processing, value addition, and regional agricultural trade within the Gulf of Guinea corridor.
Beyond yam production, the state government also introduced improved soybean varieties as part of efforts to deepen agribusiness opportunities and strengthen agricultural value chains.
According to officials, the soybean varieties distributed during the programme are climate resilient, pest resistant, disease tolerant, and capable of producing more than one metric tonne per hectare under proper agronomic conditions.
The soybean intervention is also tied to Project GROW, the state’s agribusiness initiative focused on improving agricultural productivity and market access.
Through the programme, Cross River State recently cultivated, aggregated, and transported 11.4 tonnes of soybeans to Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc in Ibadan.
Government officials described the achievement as a strong signal that the state is becoming increasingly competitive within Nigeria’s soybean value chain.
The Ministry also disclosed that Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc has deployed agronomists to support local farmers with extension services, training, and post-harvest management practices.
In another major move, the state government announced plans to geo-locate beneficiary farms and integrate them into a State Agricultural Data Bank.
Officials say the data-driven initiative will improve agricultural planning, productivity tracking, monitoring and evaluation, policy formulation, and future intervention design.
The Cross River State Homestead Farming Programme is also expected to begin profiling and registration of homestead seed yam multiplication centres within Calabar Municipality and Calabar South.
Stakeholders at the event described the 2026 farming season launch as a major step toward repositioning Cross River State as one of Nigeria’s leading agricultural investment destinations.
The intervention also reflects the growing shift among Nigerian states toward technology-driven agriculture, local seed system development, and commercial farming expansion amid rising concerns over food inflation and national food security.
The Commissioner praised Governor Bassey Edet Otu for what he described as strong leadership in advancing agricultural mechanization, irrigation development, farmer empowerment, coffee production, and cash crop revitalization across Cross River State.
He called on farmers, cooperatives, development partners, extension workers, and private sector players to collaborate with the state government in achieving food sufficiency and long-term agricultural prosperity.
“With the support of our partners and the commitment of our farmers, Cross River State is building a stronger agricultural future that will benefit both rural communities and the wider economy,” he said.
