Cross River State’s agricultural sector received a significant boost on Friday as Governor Bassey Otu officially launched the distribution of subsidised mini tractors to farmers’ cooperatives across the state. The event, held at the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation Development headquarters in Calabar, marked a major milestone in the implementation of the People-First Agricultural Transformation Agenda aimed at modernising farming, improving food production, and supporting economic growth.
Governor Otu explained that the initiative was developed after extensive consultations with stakeholders and was designed to address the high cost of land preparation, which he noted accounts for over 70 percent of cultivation expenses. “When we assumed office, we made a firm commitment to make agriculture the backbone of our development strategy,” he said. “This programme directly addresses the challenge of land preparation to boost productivity and reduce labour.”
He announced that 108 mini tractors were being distributed in the first phase of the programme, with a target of reaching 324 tractors over a three-year period. The tractors are being allocated through a cooperative model that encourages shared ownership and improves access to agricultural mechanisation at the grassroots level. “This intervention ensures that our farmers can farm more, earn more, and feed more,” the governor stated. He also highlighted how the programme complements other agricultural development projects, including cassava seed multiplication, maize and soybean production in partnership with Flour Mills Plc, and a pilot sorghum farming initiative with Champion Breweries.
Commissioner for Agriculture and Irrigation Development, Hon. Johnson A. Ebokpo, described the launch as “a big leap in agricultural transformation.” He explained that each mini tractor comes fully equipped with a plough, ridger, harrow, planter, and trailer bucket. He added that all units are registered, insured, and fitted with tracking devices to ensure proper monitoring. Ebokpo emphasised that beneficiaries have undergone training to guarantee sustainability and praised the First Lady, Bishop (Mrs.) Eyoanwan Bassey Otu, for promoting the inclusion of women farmers in the programme.
Chairman of the House Committee on Agriculture and Member representing Boki I constituency commended the initiative, describing it as unprecedented. He called Governor Otu “God-sent to liberate farmers” and urged beneficiaries to “utilise this opportunity to fulfil the governor’s dream to feed the world.”
Mr. Femi Odeleye, CEO of Bespoke Concepts Ltd, the company supplying the tractors, praised the programme as “the planting of seeds for a new agricultural revolution.” He assured that the company would provide technical support, operator training, and spare parts. He also revealed plans to establish a tractor assembly plant in Calabar that would create more than 2,000 jobs, contributing to local economic development and enhancing agricultural mechanisation.
Chairman of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Cross River Chapter, Rev. Ojikpong Nyiam Bisong, compared Governor Otu’s vision to that of Dr. Michael Okpara of the old Eastern Region. He stated that “no other governor in Nigeria is doing what you are doing for farmers today.”
Leader of Women in Agriculture, Comrade Philomena Bassey Eyo, expressed appreciation to the governor and First Lady for their support of women farmers. “Your Excellency, we thank you and our dear mother of the state for empowering women in agriculture. Today, with these tractors, we have moved from subsistence to mechanised farming,” she said. She pledged continued support for the governor’s agricultural vision, stating that women were fully mobilised to sustain the gains of the initiative through 2027 and beyond.
The event was attended by traditional rulers, women farmers, and private sector partners, underscoring the state’s growing commitment to agricultural development, job creation, and food security.