Akwa Ibom Gets New Zowasel Crop Center in Ikot Ekpene
May 5th, 2022 — Zowasel today announced the launch of a Crop Center in Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State, Niger-Delta region of Nigeria to support smallholder farmers across the oil palm and cocoa value chains.
The Crop Center would provide improved farm inputs, free agronomy services, and ultimately, access to direct market access for farmers to sell their crops through the Zowasel Marketplace platform.
As a major oil palm and cocoa-producing region in Nigeria, the opening of the Crop Center in the community would enable smallholder oil palm and cocoa farmers to access the market directly and sell fresh fruit bunches, crude palm oil, and cocoa beans to earn more and improve their welfare.
“We have partnered with 7 farmer cooperative societies in the community”, said Priscilla Udoh, Head of Sustainability and Inclusion at Zowasel. “This partnership will enable us to better understand the farmers and to provide technical support to help them grow crops sustainably and succeed on their farms.”
The infrastructure is located at Ikot Obong Otoro community in Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom. The Crop Center is estimated to support over 1,000 smallholder farmers.
Farming is a key feature of the community with smallholder farmers producing cash crops and commodities such as oil palm fresh bunches, processed palm oil, cassava, and cocoa bean.
Mr. Ernest Christopher, an oil palm farmer, and a local trustee, has been selected and assigned to manage the crop center. As an entrepreneur and experienced trader, Ernest will be responsible for managing and administering Zowasel services to smallholder farmers across the host and neighboring communities.
A smallholder farmer Mr. Michael Udo-Akpan expressed his thoughts on the new development saying, “I am very happy with the Zowasel Crop Center, most especially, I am very happy that Zowasel is here in our community to help us sell our crops and earn more.”
Zowasel Crop Centers serve as a support system for smallholder farmers across Nigeria with an aim to create solutions to farmers’ needs and develop and sustain value chains.
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