The Cross River State Government has approved 10 hectares of land for the establishment of an Agricultural Centre of Excellence in partnership with Dubai-based Export Trading Group (ETG), as part of efforts to transform the state’s agricultural sector and expand industrial capacity.
The Commissioner for Agriculture and Irrigation Development, Johnson Andiambey Ebokpo, disclosed this during a working visit by an ETG delegation to his office in Calabar.
He said the project, which has received executive approval from Governor Bassey Edet Otu, will be implemented in phases and will include a urea production plant and a fertilizer blending facility powered by existing gas infrastructure in the state.
Ebokpo said the initiative was designed to address declining interest in agriculture among young people and reposition the sector for sustainability.
He noted that the project site, located in the Adiabo axis, was selected for its proximity to the seaport and airport to enhance logistics and distribution.
According to him, the centre will serve as a training hub for agricultural extension workers, policymakers and students from the University of Calabar, the University of Cross River State and the state’s newly approved College of Agriculture.
The commissioner added that global disruptions in urea supply present an opportunity for Cross River to emerge as a key producer, leveraging its gas resources to drive job creation.
Leader of the ETG delegation, Ogu Goodluck, said the company chose Cross River after engagements with the state government and the Federal Government.
He said the group, which operates in more than 40 countries, aims to build a sustainable agricultural system in partnership with the state.
“We are here to work with the government to create value and impact lives through sustainable agricultural input production,” he said.
Also speaking, the Director of Project Grow Cross River, Dennis Ipali, reaffirmed the state’s commitment to the partnership, describing it as a transformative initiative for farmers.
The Ministry of Agriculture, in collaboration with the Ministry of Lands and the Office of the Surveyor General, is currently undertaking land inspection processes ahead of the formal handover for the commencement of the project.
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