Don’t hijack foreign training for A/Ibom farmers – Group

Ahead of plans by the Akwa Ibom State government to sponsor farmers to acquire training in Israel this year, a farmer group, Organised Farmers Network, an affiliate of Ibom Continuous Transformation Movement (ICTM), has expressed concern over possible hijack of the programme by non-farmers. The director-general of the group, Prince Ekpuk Jumbo, told our correspondent […]

Ahead of plans by the Akwa Ibom State government to sponsor farmers to acquire training in Israel this year, a farmer group, Organised Farmers Network, an affiliate of Ibom Continuous Transformation Movement (ICTM), has expressed concern over possible hijack of the programme by non-farmers.
The director-general of the group, Prince Ekpuk Jumbo, told our correspondent in Uyo that the state governor, Udom Emmanuel, should ensure that only those with passion for agriculture are selected for the exercise.
Jumbo said a situation where non-farmers are allowed to hijack the programme would defeat the objectives for which it was put in place. He said in a bid to support the industrialisation drive of the state government, farmers in Akwa Ibom have begun the planting of over five million crops to feed upcoming agro-allied industries in the state.
He said arrangements have been concluded for the planting of 5,000,000 dwarf hybrid plantain and banana suckers as well as 3,100,000 dwarf hybrid oil palm suckers.
He said that farmers in the state would also ensure 300% increase in poultry production to serve as raw material for the production of egg powder, adding that it also intends to go into fish farming and called on farmers in the state to brace up to the challenge of ensuring that they contribute their quota for the growth of the agricultural sector.