The Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly Committee on Nutrition and Food Security has called for more private sector investments in agriculture.

The committee chairman, Moses Essien, made the call when the committee visited Aviclaire Farms, a private establishment in Usung Idem, Uruk Usoh in the Abak Local Government Area.

Mr Essien, who represents Ibiono Ibom in the assembly, commended the farm management for partnering with an NGO, ECEWS, to promote private investment in agriculture.

He commended the partners for adopting climate-smart agriculture initiatives in their operations, adding that such a move would promote food security.

He said, “Your interest in using transformative intervention to promote food security is a veritable way of complementing the efforts of the state government.”

The lawmaker said that adopting a practical climate-smart agriculture model would help to generate employment, improve nutrition outcomes, and strengthen food sufficiency.

He said that he was impressed with the strides recorded by the partners, saying, “your investment has created jobs for no fewer than 2,000 youths.”

”You are an example of an environmentally friendly investor. I urge Akwa Ibom residents to embrace environment-friendly and technology-driven agriculture models,” he said.

Earlier, the Chief Executive Officer of ECEWS, Andy Eyo, who conducted the committee round the farm, said that the collaboration was conceived to demonstrate the viability of climate-smart farming in ensuring food sufficiency.

Mr Eyo said that the farm, which commenced operations with four greenhouses, had expanded to 14 within two years and was currently supplying high-quality produce to major markets in Uyo and neighbouring communities.

He said that ECEWS was exploring cooperative frameworks to enable rural farmers and women’s groups to adopt greenhouse technology for sustainable livelihoods.

In her remarks, the Chief Executive Officer of Aviclaire Farms, Victoria Eyo, said that the controlled environment ensured precision cultivation and consistent yields.

She further said that the farm served as a capacity-building centre for students, interns, and agri-business trainees.
(NAN)