The Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly in Nigeria has expressed support for a climate-smart agriculture initiative aimed at addressing food security challenges in the state. The endorsement came from the Chairman of the Assembly Committee on Nutrition and Food Security, Hon. Moses Essien, during an oversight visit to a demonstration farm in Abak Local Government Area. The initiative is led by the non-governmental organisation Excellence Community Education Welfare Scheme (ECEWS) in partnership with Aviclaire Farms.
According to the committee, the project represents a practical model for strengthening food sufficiency, improving nutrition outcomes and creating employment opportunities. Essien noted that the programme aligns with the development policy of the Akwa Ibom State government under Governor Umo Eno, which promotes collaboration with private sector and development partners to support key sectors such as agriculture and nutrition.
The initiative features greenhouse-based production systems that enable year-round cultivation of crops such as peppers and tomatoes. Aviclaire Farms has expanded from four to 14 greenhouses within two years and supplies produce to markets in Uyo and surrounding communities. Project partners reported that the farm generated approximately ₦19 million worth of produce during its first five months of operation and has created more than 2,000 youth employment opportunities.
Project leaders say the farm also functions as a demonstration, training and innovation hub, providing capacity building for students, interns and agribusiness participants. ECEWS indicated that it is exploring cooperative frameworks to help rural farmers and women's groups adopt greenhouse technology, while technical partners provide installation and management support to optimise controlled-environment crop production.
Source: leadership.ng
