We’ll Empower Women Through Agriculture – Edema Irom

Cross River State Commissioner for Women Affairs, Hon. Edema Irom, says the state will use agriculture as one of its spring board to empower women as part of deliberate measure to alleviate poverty in the state.

Stressing that with the huge potentials abound in agriculture, if fully harness, it’s capable of liberating Cross River from over dependent on Federal Allocation and transform the socio-economic landscape of the state .

Irom disclosed this during the 2023 Apiapum New Yam Festivals, held at Apiapum, in Obubra Local Government Area over the weekend.

According to Hon. Irom, “given our comparative advantage as an agrarian state, Governor Bassey Otu, has already put in machinery in motion to mobilize resources to modernize agriculture and make farming more attractive for better revenue earnings to both the farmers and government.

While describing yam festivals as a veritable platform for camaraderie, family bond and community unity, Irom assured the women who constitute bulk farmers in the area that in no distant time they will begin to derive better gain in their daily toils through improved yield as Governor Otu led government will soon supply them with improved seedlings and tubers as part of palliative initiative.

She however, advised the women in the state to form themselves into cooperative unions so as to enable them access government funded facility in terms of funds and modern farming inputs for increased yield.

“Senator Bassey placed high premium on agriculture with the introduction of high breed seedlings and tubers that will bring better yields, reduce harvest time and give our women more money. Of course once a woman is empowered, the household will be touched for better and more decent livelihood,” she emphasized.

“Government will leverage on platforms like this and other social gathering of women to educate them on the need to venture into active agriculture and empower them with improved seedlings and tubers for maximum economic gains.”

On the significance of the annual festival which well attended by her friends and associates, Irom said, “the event is a wake up call to the fact that as we celebrate today, we will go back to till the farm again after this season because if don’t take that deliberate step to go back, there will be no celebration next year.

“This gathering also reminds us that the yam which is the king of all crops should not go into extinction but rather be given prominent 0pace as one of the widely used stable food 8n Nigeria and African at large.

On her part, Commissioner for Commerce, Mrs Abigail Duke, commended the people of Apiapum for organizing such a colourful event with display of a rare of cultural insignias of the community and Obubra at large and urged them to remain united for meaningful development to be attracted to the area.

The Commerce Boss announced plans by Government to commercialize agricultural in the state and encouraged more women and youths to key into the agricultural revolution boat of Governor Otu which noted is taking off very soon to better their lots.

“Obubra is well endowed with arable land suitable for the cultivation of rice, maize, cassava and yam and we are ready to harness this great potentials to improve on the living conditions of our rural dwellers and transform our dear state through export of the produce,”she added.

The clan head of Apiapum, His Royal Highness, Ovarr Robert Mbina Ajom lll, who was elated by mere presence of government functionaries to the event courtesy of her daughter and Commissioner for Women Affairs, Hon. Edema Irom, thanked everyone who came to grace the occasion and the organizers for a successful host.

Ajom urged the state government to assist the subsistent farmers with modern farm implements as well as improved seedlings and tubers for better yields next farming season.

“Let me also use this opportunity to appeal to the government to make other farming input like fertilizer, pesticide readily available at affordable rate to assist our farmers for a better harvest next farming season,” the elated traditional Ruler averred.