The Cross River State Government has launched the distribution of subsidised mini tractors to farmers’ cooperatives across the state towards full-scale mechanised farming and rural empowerment.

The initiative, which is part of Governor Bassey Otu’s People-First Agricultural Transformation Agenda, has been designed to ease land preparation, reduce cultivation costs, and promote sustainable agricultural productivity.

Speaking during the flag-off ceremony at the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation Development headquarters in Calabar, Governor Otu reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to making agriculture the backbone of the state’s economy.

“When we assumed office, we made a firm commitment to make agriculture the cornerstone of our development strategy,” the governor said. 

“From engagements with farmers, one challenge stood out, the cost of land preparation, which takes up over 70 per cent of cultivation costs. This programme directly addresses that problem.”

A total of 108 mini tractors have been rolled out in the first phase, with an additional 324 tractors to be deployed across all local government areas. 

The tractors, fuel-efficient, terrain-adaptable, and multifunctional, are being distributed under a cooperative model that promotes shared ownership and community-based management.

Governor Otu explained that the approach ensures responsible usage and wider access to mechanisation at the grassroots level.

“We are unlocking the full potential of our agricultural landscape so that our farmers can farm more, earn more, and feed more,” he stated.

Beyond the tractor distribution, Otu also highlighted several ongoing agricultural initiatives, including the Cassava Seed Multiplication Project, the Project Grow maize and soybean scheme in partnership with Flour Mills Plc, and a pilot phase of commercial sorghum production with Champion Breweries.

He added that smallholder farmers are currently benefiting from the distribution of improved cowpea seeds, fertilisers, and farm implements, alongside plans to establish new cocoa and coffee estates through public-private partnerships.

“This tractor distribution is not just another intervention,” the governor noted. 

“It is a tangible expression of our People-First Agricultural Transformation Agenda anchored on mechanisation, value-chain development, and inclusive growth.”

Mr Femi Odeleye, Chief Executive Officer of Bespoke Concepts Limited, the supplier of the tractors, commended the initiative as “the planting of seeds for a new agricultural revolution in Cross River State.”

“By distributing these tractors, His Excellency is not just distributing machines; he is empowering communities and transforming livelihoods,” Odeleye remarked, adding that plans were underway to establish a tractor assembly plant in Calabar, expected to create over 2,000 jobs.

Similarly, Rev. Ojikpong Bisong, Chairman of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Cross River Chapter, praised Governor Otu’s leadership, likening his agricultural drive to the legacy of Dr Michael Okpara, the late Premier of Eastern Nigeria.

“Your Excellency, Cross River State, under your leadership, has taken the place of the late Dr Michael Okpara,” Bisong said. 

“The legacy he left that still speaks generations after him, you have now laid in Cross River State.”

Source: Cross River State Govt

Image Credit: Cross River House of Press