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From Aniekan Aniekan, Calabar
Cross river State Governor, Bassey Otu, has approved N355.31 million for the construction of an administrative and laboratory complex and staff accommodation for the Nigerian Institute for Oil Palm Research (NIFOR) outstation at Creek Town, Odukpani Local Government Area.
The approval, granted at the State Executive Council meeting following a memorandum by the Commissioner for Agriculture and Irrigation Development, Johnson Ebokpo, is aimed at strengthening agricultural research and technology development while unlocking the state’s potential in oil palm production.
The project is expected to provide infrastructure for research into improved and climate-resilient oil palm varieties, disease control, specialised nursery development and modern agronomic practices.
Governor Otu said the investment was part of his administration’s effort to move agriculture from subsistence production to a technology-driven sector capable of creating jobs, attracting investment and improving food security.
He said Cross River could not fully realise its agricultural potential without investment in the science, technology and infrastructure required to support farmers and agribusinesses.
According to him, the NIFOR facility would serve as a platform for research, technology dissemination and collaboration among research institutes, universities, development partners and private agribusinesses.
“Cross River cannot fully realise its agricultural potential without investing in the science, technology and infrastructure that drive modern agriculture,” Otu said.
The facility is expected to focus on oil palm breeding, specialised nursery development, phytosanitary disease management, crop protection and downstream processing technologies.
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The government said the project would also support the production and distribution of certified, high-quality oil palm seedlings and provide technical assistance to farmers and commercial investors.
The Creek Town-Odukpani-Calabar agricultural corridor was identified as strategically suited to the development of an agricultural research and innovation hub capable of serving farmers and investors across Cross River and the wider South-South region.
The project is also expected to facilitate collaboration on mechanisation, climate-smart agriculture and disease-control measures suited to the state’s agro-ecological conditions.
Beyond research, the government said the investment would help stimulate the oil palm value chain by reducing some of the risks associated with plantation development and improving farmers’ access to scientific expertise.
Otu said the facility would also have a youth employment component through agricultural extension, vocational training and agripreneurship programmes.
“Our objective is not simply to construct another government facility. We are building an institution that will generate knowledge, support farmers, attract investors and create opportunities for our young people,” he said.
The state government said the intervention was aligned with federal priorities on agricultural research, food security, climate-smart agriculture and the dissemination of improved technologies.
It added that Cross River’s favourable agro-ecological conditions, land resources and potential for commercial oil palm production gave the state a comparative advantage in developing the value chain.
The project is expected to strengthen oil palm production, attract private investment into plantations and agro-processing, create employment and further position Cross River as an agricultural investment destination in the South-South.
