The Akwa Ibom State Government has introduced improved cassava varieties with yields of over 40 tons per hectare, significantly higher than the traditional five to seven tons. The launch occurred at the Assured Model Farm in Ikot Akpan Essien, Oruk Anam Local Government Area, and featured four new varieties: "Biggy," "Baba 70," "Renewed Hope," and "Game Changer." The initiative is part of the state's agricultural transformation drive under the ARISE Agenda. It was organised in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), and the National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI).
Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development Offiong Offor, who represented Governor Umo Eno, stated the new varieties offer higher starch content and are suited for fufu, gari, and industrial processing. He cited low farmer adoption as a past challenge but said field trials across multiple farms have demonstrated the varieties' potential. The cassava types were developed to resist diseases, produce higher yields, and improve processing efficiency.
Ukoabasi Ekanam, team lead of the Cassava Breeding Unit at IITA, confirmed the varieties were bred specifically for enhanced dry matter, yield, and commercial value. The Assured Model Farm, run by the Oruk Anam Local Government Council, currently cultivates cassava, tomatoes, pepper, okro, watermelon, cucumber, and vegetables across 27 hectares of a 100-hectare site. Council Chairman Sunday Festus said the farm aims to support large-scale production and food security.
Participating farms, including CEMUOA Limited, FarmCrafts, Fresh and Green Farm, and Assured Model Farm, reported strong harvests during trials. Attendees toured the farm and viewed processed products made from the new cassava varieties.
The state promotes cassava varieties that deliver over 40 tons per hectare while acknowledging farmers have been slow to adopt them. If the new yields are real, then past farming support efforts failed to deliver comparable results. The same farmers now being urged to switch may question why these varieties were not available earlier. Promises of higher returns mean little if distribution and access remain uneven.
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