Cross River State’s agricultural transformation received a major boost weekend , as Governor Bassey Edet Otu launched the distribution of subsidized mini tractors to farmers’ cooperatives across the state.
Governor Otu said the initiative, which is part of his People-First Agricultural Transformation Agenda, signals the state’s determined shift toward full-scale mechanization and rural empowerment.
The flag-off ceremony, held at the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation Development headquarters in Calabar, drew lawmakers, traditional rulers, women farmers, private-sector partners, and agricultural stakeholders, all of whom lauded the governor’s vision to reposition agriculture as the backbone of the state’s economy.
In his address, Governor Otu reaffirmed his administration’s determination to make agriculture the cornerstone of the state’s economic development. “When we assumed office, we made a firm commitment to make agriculture the backbone of our development strategy,” he said. “From engagements with farmers across our local government areas, one message stood out, the challenge of land preparation, which accounts for over 70 percent of cultivation costs. This programme directly addresses that problem.”
The governor explained that the distributed mini tractors are fuel-efficient, terrain-adaptable, and multifunctional “specifically designed to ease land preparation, reduce labour costs, and boost productivity. According to him, 108 units are being rolled out in the first phase, with a total of 324 tractors expected to be deployed statewide.”
Otu further revealed that the tractors would be managed through a cooperative model, enabling beneficiary groups to serve as community-based service providers. “This ensures shared ownership, responsible management, and broader access to mechanization at the grassroots,” he noted. “We are unlocking the full potential of our agricultural landscape so that our farmers can farm more, earn more, and feed more.”
Highlighting other flagship agricultural programmes, the governor listed 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 also mentioned the ongoing distribution of improved cowpea seeds, fertilizers, and farm implements to smallholders, alongside plans to establish new cocoa and coffee estates through public-private partnerships. “This tractor distribution is not just another intervention,” Otu emphasized. “It is a tangible expression of our People-First Agricultural Transformation Agenda anchored on mechanization, value-chain development, and inclusive growth.”
Speaking on behalf of the State House of Assembly, the Chairman of the House Committee on Agriculture and Member representing Boki I State Constituency described the programme as “unprecedented in the history of Cross River State.” He declared: “Your Excellency, what I have seen today has never happened. It is true that you are God-sent to liberate us from the long-suffering Cross Riverians have been passing through. Our farmers must utilize this opportunity because if they do, your dream to feed the world will come to pass.”
Mr. Femi Odeleye, Chief Executive Officer of Bespoke Concepts Limited, suppliers of the tractors, lauded the initiative as “the planting of seeds for a new agricultural revolution in Cross River State.” He stated,
“By distributing these tractors, His Excellency is not just distributing machines; he is empowering communities and transforming livelihoods.” Odeleye further revealed that there were plans to establish a tractor assembly plant in Calabar capable of creating over 2,000 jobs.
Also, Rev. Ojikpong Nyiam Bisong, Chairman of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Cross River State Chapter, likened Governor Otu’s leadership to that 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 of Eastern Nigeria,” he said, adding that “the legacy he left that still speaks, generations after him, you have laid in Cross River State.”
