The Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Akwa Ibom State has rounded off its annual Agricultural Summit with the theme “Repositioning Agriculture in Nigeria For The Dwindling Oil Fortunes”. The summit which drew participants from all parts of the country took place at the Civil Service Auditorium, Idongesit Nkanga Secretariat, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital.
In his remark at the event, the Executive Governor of the state, His Excellency, Chief Godswill Akpabio commended the ministry for keying into the seven-point agenda of the federal government by trying to improve the agricultural standard of the state by way of exhibition, which according to him will showcase its subjects and also boost the economic situation of the state in particular and the country in general.
The governor, who was represented at the event by his deputy, His Excellency, Engr. Patrick Ekpotu, said that the oil sector which everyone is venturing into in the real sense can not afford the expected income which maybe derived from agriculture. He further said that before the advent of oil in Nigeria, agriculture was the main source of income which according to him, its derivation could never be compared to the oil sector which majority of it is not refined in the country and thus losing some of its resources to foreign countries. The governor however pledged his total commitment to the development of agriculture in the state and expressed the state government's gratitude to the Ministry of Agriculture of being decent enough to organize the summit.
In a keynote address presented at the sumimit, Dr. Trenchard Ibia of the Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Uyo, and also a former Commissioner in the Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Agriculture said that the global threat to dwindling crude oil fortunes is already known, adding that for Nigeria, the threat is real considering the global competition, concerns and action on the impacts of oil activities and consumption as well as global oil politics.
Dr Ibia further said that the critical issue of climate change is pushing global actions on cutting emissions by reducing fossil fuel consumption, saying that many countries are intensifying actions for alternate sources of energy including green energy, solar energy, nuclear energy, wing energy.
In his response, the Honourable Commissioner, Ministry of Agriculture, Prof. Etok Ekanem said that quite a lot has happened in the agricultural sector of the state since the inception of the present administration, adding that the 2nd Agricultural summit affords the state an auspicious opportunity to report on and celebrate the two and half years of revolutionary activities in the agricultural sector of the Akwa Ibom state economy under the visionary leadership of His Excellency, Chief Godswill Akpabio.
He however opined that never in the history of the state has so much attention and support been given to agricultural sector considering the short stay of the present administration.
Prof. Ekanem further said that agriculture is one of the most critical sectors of our economy, adding that the state government has the statutory responsibility of providing the needed enabling environment to ensure availability to adequate and affordable food, security, supply of agro-based raw materials for industry, generation of employment, creation of wealth and economic emancipation of the people.
He stressed that the policy thrust of the present administration in Agriculture is being driven through the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, which according to him is to cause a quantifiable annual growth in the production of cash crops, staple food, livestock and fish through institutional and infrastructural support for private, small, medium and large scale farmers.
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