…State seeks finance, hybrid seeds, mechanisation to cut import dependence

Cross River State has begun talks with the Bank of Agriculture, BOA, to unlock financing for *hybrid seeds, mechanisation and agro-processing in a bid to ramp up food production and reduce reliance on imports.

The engagement, led by the Commissioner for Special Duties and Intergovernmental Relations, Hon. Dodeye Arikpo, was held on Monday at BOA’s headquarters in Abuja with the Managing Director, Mr. Ayo Sotinrin.

Arikpo said the partnership will focus on practical financing that helps farmers produce more, process locally, and sell better.

“We cannot talk about food security without equipment, finance and markets. This collaboration is about giving farmers the tools to deliver,”  he said.

He noted that high cost of inputs, lack of mechanisation and poor processing facilities have kept many Cross River farmers at subsistence level, forcing the state to depend on food imports from neighboring states.

“Our goal is to reverse that trend. We want Cross River to feed itself first, then supply the region,” Arikpo added.

Key proposals discussed include  lease-to-own arrangements for tractors and implements, bulk supply of *certified hybrid seeds, and funding for agro-processing clusters across the 18 LGAs.

The Commissioner stressed that women and youths must be prioritized.
“If we get our young people and women into agriculture with the right support, we will solve unemployment and hunger at the same time,” he said.

Responding, BOA MD Ayo Sotinrin said the bank already runs financing windows for youth, women and value-chain actors that can be customized for Cross River.

“The Bank of Agriculture is ready to align its products with Cross River’s agricultural priorities. We have done this in other states and we are willing to deepen it here,” Sotinrin said.

He listed farmer aggregation, priority value chains, market linkages and bankable project development as areas where BOA can provide both funds and technical support.

Both parties agreed to set up a joint technical team that will meet within the next two weeks to Identify priority crops and value chains for the state, design appropriate financing instruments including single-digit loans, map implementation requirements for mechanisation and processing hubs and set measurable targets for yield increase and job creation

The technical session is expected to produce a framework that translates the state’s agricultural priorities into bankable projects.

The initiative aligns with Governor Bassey Otu’s “People First” agenda, which lists agriculture as a key pillar for job creation, poverty reduction and food security.

Stakeholders say if implemented, the BOA partnership could significantly cut post-harvest losses, increase farmers’ income, and make Cross River a net exporter of food crops like cassava, plantain, rice and palm oil.

“This is not about politics. This is about food on the table. If farmers have finance and equipment, food prices will come down,” Arikpo said.

The Commissioner added that the state government will also work with cooperatives and agro-industrialists to ensure funds get to real farmers and not middlemen.