The Akwa Ibom State Government has launched a new generation of improved cassava varieties aimed at enhancing food security, increasing farmers’ incomes and accelerating agricultural transformation across the state.
The initiative, unveiled at the Assured Model Farm in Ikot Akpan Essien, Oruk Anam Local Government Area, forms part of the agricultural revolution pillar of the ARISE Agenda and seeks to promote the adoption of high-yield, disease-resistant cassava cultivars.
The newly introduced varieties — “Biggy,” “Baba 70,” “Renewed Hope,” and “Game Changer” — were developed through a collaboration involving the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), the National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI), the Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, and Assured Model Farm.
Representing Governor Umo Eno at the launch, Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Offiong Offor, described the programme as a major step towards modernising agriculture and improving productivity among farmers.
According to him, traditional cassava varieties typically yield between five and seven tonnes per hectare, while the improved varieties have demonstrated the capacity to produce more than 40 tonnes per hectare under proper cultivation conditions.
Offor noted that beyond higher yields, the new cassava varieties offer improved dry matter content, superior starch quality and enhanced suitability for processing into products such as garri, fufu and industrial starch.
He urged farmers across the state to embrace the innovation, stressing that increased adoption would significantly improve food production and strengthen the agricultural value chain.
The Executive Chairman of Oruk Anam Local Government Area, Sunday Festus, highlighted the role of the Assured Model Farm in supporting large-scale agricultural production. He disclosed that the farm currently cultivates cassava, tomatoes, pepper, okro, watermelon, cucumber and vegetables on 27 hectares of developed farmland, with plans for further expansion.
Speaking on the benefits of the new cassava varieties, Team Lead of the Cassava Breeding Unit at IITA, Ukoabasi Ekanam, explained that the cultivars were specifically developed to combine high productivity, disease resistance, better processing qualities and increased profitability for farmers and agro-processors.
Farm operators who participated in field trials, including CEMUOA Limited, FarmCrafts, Fresh and Green Farm, and Assured Model Farm, reported impressive harvests and strong commercial potential, reinforcing confidence in the varieties’ ability to transform cassava production in the state.
The event concluded with an inspection of the farm facilities and an exhibition of cassava-based products processed from the improved varieties.
