Agro-automation: Governor Benedict Ayade propel Cross river agronomy

By David Peter | Agropreneur

In spite of the oil, agriculture remains the base of the Nigerian economy, providing the main source of livelihood for most Nigerians for more than 30% of the population. 

The sector faces many challenges, notably an outdated land tenure system that constrains access to land (1.8 ha/farming household), a very low level of irrigation development (less than 1 percent of cropped land under irrigation), limited adoption of research findings and technologies, high cost of farm inputs, poor access to credit, inefficient fertilizer procurement and distribution, inadequate storage facilities and poor access to markets have all combined to keep agricultural productivity low (average of 1.2 metric tons of cereals/ha) with high postharvest losses and waste.

Even though agriculture still remains the largest sector of the Nigerian economy and employs two-thirds of the entire labour force, the production hurdles have significantly stifled the performance of the sector. 


Over the past 20 years, value-added per capita in agriculture has risen by less than 1 percent annually. It is estimated that Nigeria has lost USD 10 billion in annual export opportunity from groundnut, palm oil, cocoa and cotton alone due to continuous decline in the production of those commodities. Food (crop) production increases have not kept pace with population growth, resulting in rising food imports and declining levels of national food self-sufficiency.

Cross river state edge in replicating the European year 1876 agro-industrial revolution. “The agro-industrial revolution which started in 1876 in Britain is blazing a giant feat in Nigeria as Cross River state leads Africa towards Sir. Benedict Ayade self sustainance in terms of the entire agricultural value chain".

The Governor of Cross River State, Benedict Ayade has embarked massively on ultramodern agriculture cum food availability and job employability which is the only way to go and it is the first level of Industrialization. Sir Benedict Ayade, is optimistic to mitigate challenges facing the agricultural sector technologically to advance the agro setting's in Cross river state through the usage of automated agricultural machineries to ease the culture of farming, as well enhance the agro-productivity in Cross river state.


Governor Benedict Ayade, enthusiasm towards agricultural mechanization is unstoppable, in prepend to his commitment to decouple the state from its align FAAC thus, Ayade has established ultramodern industries across communities and cities in the State to grade up the economy.


The Federal Ministry of Agriculture in 2016 decried an average of 18 million dollars spent annually importing toothpicks into Nigeria, hence the federal government put toothpicks importation under the dollar access prohibition list, Governor Ayade, the technocrat edge the advantage of the policy to set up an Ultra modern toothpick factory in Cross river state, The factory is said to be capable of producing 31 million toothpicks in a day as structured in Ekori, Yakurr.


In addition, Ayade's administration verge to radically alter the economic landscape of the state through agriculture, Also, established the foremost cocoa processing plant that will process cocoa beans to chocolate, the ultramodern factory will produce over 30, 000 tonnes per annum cocoa processing plant in Ikom.


To explore more lucrative agro value chains, Professor Benedict Ayade, aligned his very visionary step by step approach towards the realisation of cross river agro-industrialization setup the first automated rice mill facility in Africa which is expected to have an output of five metric tons per hour. 

The rice mill has direct employment capacity of over ten thousand worker's this agro-industrial signature project is a brain child of the agro- technocrat, Senator Benedict Ayade.

In line with Professor Benedict Ayade industrialisation initiative, the governor established an ultra modern chicken processing plant equipment a very digital, modern and highly sophisticated that takes into consideration the bio-medical status of cross river chicken

The Fantastic view of Calachicka Cross River Frozen chicken factory. On completion, the factory is expected to produce a minimum of six thousand (6,000) birds per day for export.

In continuity, Cross River State Governor, Benedict Ayade is investing hugely on the provision of chicken feeds in Obubra LGA, due to the soil huge fertility and productivity in the geographical area the governor vision to be the largest exporter of frozen chickens in Africa.


Cross River Governor Ben Ayade, agro Industrialisation policy his pioneering the industrial revolution in Nigeria through his digital replacement of existing noodles institute; Ultramodern Calavitas Noodles Factories.

The Calavita noodles will be made from rice as opposed to wheat.

And the rice is freshly home grown rice. Calavita noodles will come in three flavours-Rice, Chicken and Suya.


Technocrat Ben Ayade vow to intact young crossriverian gainfully employed through his agro-industrial strides, more so, acknowledging that, 90 percent of the industries as established in cross river state are agro- based. “Obviously, there is no way that all the industries the Governor has initiated, which 90%  percent of them are agro-based, will function without the appropriate industrial farms to employ first hand young workers (crossriverians).

However, It is ascertain that over 70% (percent) of the state population comprises of vigorous youths, to harness cross river state agro-productivity, feed the ever rising population and boost the state economy status Ayade's affirmed youth inclusiveness. 

Sir Benedict Ayade leadership is peg on “industrial revolution, witnessing the agro- industrial landmark and positive astute accomplished thus far, it's  pegged on cross river that the foremost mono system that can guarantees massive recruitment of people, massive production and ultimate beneficiation of raw materials is on Ayade's tremendous efforts pin agricultural mechanization.


As the population of Crossriverians continues to geometrically increase on a capricious progressive ratio, Governor Ben Ayade, sixth sense is digitally civilizing the state on industrialization and digitalizing agriculture to feat the need for Nigeria's to employ technology and precision agriculture to maximize its agricultural productivity hence, to salvage hunger and curb the uncertain unemployment status in the country. 


The leadership of Cross river, Benedict Ayade, has blaze the trails on agricultural mechanization with the formation of his gargantuan ultramodern agro-industries founding thus far`...