By Aniekan Aniekan, Calabar
Cross River State Government has commenced the distribution of an improved variety of seedlings and herbicides to 135 schools across the three educational zones in the state.
The State Commissioner for Education, Senator Stephen Odey said items distributed included maize, pumpkin, cassava, melon and others. He stressed that a lot could be achieved with cultivation of the improved seedlings.
Distributing the farming tools in Calabar, Odey said they would help the schools revive practical agriculture that is dead in schools.
The Chairman, Committee of Young Farmers, Asuquo Amaku, who represented the commissioner disclosed that with the farm inputs, school authorities could re-introduce practical agriculture, contribute their quota and boost food productivity.
“This is another way to complement the effort of the state governor, who is determined to intensify the fight against hunger and starvation.
“We are giving the seedings to agric teachers and school principals, so that they can use the inputs to teach students how to increase food production,” he said.
Also speaking, the Principal of NYSC Secondary School, Calabar, who doubles as the state chairman of All Nigeria Confederation of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS), Etim Nsa, said the seedlings would help in the revival of practical agriculture in public schools.