INCENTIVES FOR FARMERS WILL BE BASED ON DATABASE
Says Commissioner for Agriculture As She Enumerates As A Farmer …Charges All Farmers To Participate
The Honourable Commissioner for Agriculture and Women Affairs, Dr. Glory Edet has stated that all forms of incentives from government to farmers will be based on the database of farmers in the state from henceforth. She therefore urged all farmers in Akwa Ibom State to get enumerated.
AT THE ENUMERATION OF FARMERS EVENT
She made the call after her profile as a farmer was taken for enumeration as a farmer in Akwa Ibom State on Monday when a team of enumerators from the Directorate of Agricultural Investments, AKICORP, paid her a visit for the exercise.
The Commissioner who revealed she was into crops and livestock farming in commercial quantity in parts of the state described herself as a typical farmer and urged all farmers in the state to follow her example and make themselves available for enumeration.
Receiving the team of enumerators in her office, she said: “Let me commend the Executive Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Udom Emmanuel for his interest in investing more in Agriculture. I appreciate the Executive Director, Agricultural Investments, AKICORP, Pastor Umo Eno and his team for coming to enumerate me. This means all of us in farming business must be enumerated. This is very important. If I have been enumerated today, then you have to be enumerated,” she remarked; adding that incentives like soft loans and farm inputs to farmers would be based on the data gathered from individual farmer during the ongoing exercise.
Dr. Edet who is also the dean of Commissioners, called on fellow Commissioners and other government officials who own farms to participate in the enumeration exercise, noting that the Governor of the State has also been enumerated. She made it clear that the Executive Director, Agricultural Investments, Pastor Umo Eno, was an important partner in the agricultural development drives of the State Government and urged all farmers and stakeholders in agriculture to cooperate for the success of the exercise, stressing that, “this enumeration will really help us as farmers achieve more.”
On why the enumeration exercise was necessary, she explained that there was need for regular update of database of farmers, because, according to her, “You cannot compare farmers of today to those of ten years ago. Our data must be updated. The zeal and commitment of Pastor Umo Eno in this area is commendable.”
She, however, encouraged farmers in their communities to avail themselves of the presence of enumerators sent to capture their details.
