The Akwa Ibom State Government is intensifying its rural development programme with plans to improve access roads and strengthen financial support for farmers as part of Governor Umo Eno’s ARISE Agenda.

The administration says rural infrastructure and agriculture remain key components of its strategy to stimulate economic activity, improve livelihoods and reduce the pressure of rural-to-urban migration.

Focus on rural road network

The government has continued to prioritise the construction and rehabilitation of feeder and rural roads connecting farming communities to major markets and urban centres.

Governor Eno said his administration had undertaken, commissioned or continued work on more than 1,500 kilometres of roads since assuming office in 2023, alongside the construction of bridges across the state.

The emphasis on rural roads is intended to make it easier for farmers to move agricultural produce, access inputs and connect with buyers.

The state government has also identified road infrastructure as an important component of its broader rural development strategy, alongside healthcare, water, electricity and other basic services.

₦2 billion agricultural grant

Agriculture is another major area of the administration’s intervention.

The state government previously provided a ₦2 billion agricultural grant to support farmers, with the government reporting increased farm sizes, higher output, greater access to inputs and machinery, and growth in agro-processing activities among beneficiaries.

Governor Eno has said about 1,700 farmers have benefited from agricultural grants, while the administration is also pursuing initiatives designed to expand agricultural production and create opportunities for young people.

The government has further announced plans under its Palm Tree Crop Revolution, including the acquisition of hundreds of thousands of oil-palm seedlings to support long-term agricultural production and wealth creation in rural communities.

Agriculture positioned as a business

The administration says its agricultural interventions are designed to move farming beyond subsistence production and establish agriculture as a viable commercial activity.

Support measures include farm inputs, equipment and access to financing, while the government is also developing agricultural facilities such as the Ibom Model Farm.

The state has indicated that the wider strategy is aimed at increasing food production, developing agricultural value chains and creating employment opportunities.

Wider economic empowerment programme

The agricultural intervention forms part of a broader economic empowerment strategy being implemented across Akwa Ibom.

In July, the state government approved ₦31 billion for an empowerment programme expected to benefit more than 165,000 residents across the state’s 31 local government areas.

The programme covers areas including youth skills development, women’s cooperatives, traders’ grants, agricultural support, SME development and transport empowerment.

The government says these interventions are intended to strengthen household incomes, support businesses and expand economic opportunities across both urban and rural communities.

Linking infrastructure with economic growth

The combination of rural road construction and agricultural financing reflects the administration’s stated focus on connecting infrastructure development with economic production.

Improved roads can help farmers transport goods to markets, while access to grants and farm inputs can increase production capacity.

The state government’s broader ARISE Agenda therefore places rural development, agriculture, infrastructure and economic empowerment within the same development framework as it continues to roll out projects across Akwa Ibom.

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