Project Grow has launched a statewide Training of Trainers (TOT) program to enhance soybean production capacity across Cross River State. The initiative is being carried out in partnership with Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc, which provided technical support for the training sessions on soybean production practices.
The training is taking place across the three senatorial districts, beginning in Calabar, with subsequent sessions scheduled for Yakurr and Obanliku Local Government Areas. The program combines classroom instruction with field demonstrations to ensure participants gain practical, hands-on knowledge of soybean cultivation techniques. Participants include extension agents, ministry desk officers, agricultural officers, lead farmers, and other key stakeholders, who are expected to cascade the knowledge to farmers in their communities.
In his goodwill message, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Irrigation Development, Honorable Johnson Ebokpo, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to transforming agriculture into a commercially viable sector. He stressed that soybean production under Project Grow will not be limited to commercial farms but will also be extended to smallholder farmers, ensuring inclusive participation. He further highlighted the project’s strategic importance in strengthening food security, creating jobs, and improving the state’s economy through guaranteed market access.
Speaking during the training, the Project Director, Mr. Denis Ikpali, reiterated Project Grow’s commitment to developing a sustainable soybean value chain in Cross River State. He disclosed that the project is targeting the cultivation of 1,000 hectares of soybeans during the 2026 wet season farming cycle, a strategic investment aimed at boosting production, creating jobs, enhancing farmer incomes, and strengthening the state’s agricultural economy. According to him, the Training of Trainers program is a critical component of the project’s implementation strategy, ensuring that extension agents and lead farmers acquire the technical knowledge needed to support successful soybean cultivation across participating communities.
He further confirmed that Project Grow has secured an offtake agreement with Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc for 2,000 tons of soybeans and 20,000 tons of maize, valued at approximately ₦18 billion, providing a guaranteed market that strengthens farmer confidence and encourages investment in production.
Facilitating the training, Mr. Kolawole O. Amonsou, Regional Value Chain Head of Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc, delivered practical technical guidance covering the entire soybean production cycle—from land preparation, planting, and crop management to harvesting. He emphasized key agronomic standards, including planting seeds at a depth of three centimeters and placing fertilizer five centimeters beside the seed and two centimeters deeper to ensure optimal nutrient uptake and yield performance.
The program adopts a step-down training model, where trained participants will pass on knowledge to farmers across communities, thereby boosting productivity and ensuring consistent quality output.
This initiative aligns with the agricultural transformation agenda of His Excellency, Senator Prince Bassey Edet Otu, whose administration continues to drive deliberate investments in agriculture, positioning it as a key driver of economic growth, food security, job creation, and improved livelihoods across Cross River State.
By Blessing Enagu
