Cross River State Commissioner for Agriculture and Irrigation Development, Mr Johnson Ebokpo, has called on agricultural experts to embrace new technologies, share data, and co-design interventions to advance agriculture across the South-South region.
He made the call at the 14th Steering Committee meeting of the South-South Agro-Ecological Zone of the Research Extension, Farmer Input Linkage System (REFILS) held in Calabar on Friday.
The event, themed “Strengthening stakeholder linkages for improved food security,” brought together researchers, extension officers, farmer groups, input suppliers, development partners, and government representatives from across the zone.
Correspondents report that participants gathered to explore solutions to Nigeria’s deepening food insecurity.
Declaring the meeting open, Ebokpo highlighted the critical role of the REFILS platform in bridging the gap between agricultural innovations and real-world implementation.
He noted that it was the first time in over ten years that Cross River would host the steering committee meeting, describing it as a significant milestone.
He stressed that even the most effective interventions would collapse in the absence of strong and coordinated stakeholder linkages.
“I urge all participants to explore new technologies, share data, co-design interventions, and forge partnerships that will drive agricultural transformation across the zone,” he said.
The commissioner also outlined key interventions already initiated in Cross River, including the distribution of 77 motorbikes to strengthen extension services across the state.
Other efforts include the procurement and distribution of 3.5 million sprouted oil palm nuts from the Nigerian Institute for Oil Palm Research (NIFOR), ongoing cocoa rehabilitation, and the Project Grow initiative.
In his remarks, Mr Bassey Emogor, Programme Manager of the Cross River Agricultural Development Programme (CRADP), commended stakeholders for their commitment to agricultural development in the South-South and Nigeria more broadly.
He said the forum provided an opportunity to reflect on pressing challenges in the sector and jointly explore innovative solutions for sustainable growth.
Also speaking, Dr Olusegun Solomon, Zonal Coordinator for the South-South Zone of NIFOR, expressed concern over the poor participation of states due to inadequate funding.
“For this very important meeting, only three of six South-South states are represented. Akwa Ibom and Delta are conspicuously absent,” he said.
“There is no way you can have food security without bringing together research institutions, farmers, and input agencies; the linkage we are talking about is critical,” he added.
He urged South-South governors to prioritise funding for agricultural development programmes, particularly the Agricultural Development Programmes (ADPs), which he described as vital for delivering innovations to farmers.
(NAN)
