Catherine Akpan
Female farmers in Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area have received a major boost following the commencement of the second planting season under the Transforming Lives Through Nutrition project implemented by Helen Keller International.
The intervention saw the distribution of high-yielding varieties of okra, vitamin A-fortified maize, and groundnut seeds to project beneficiaries across the area.
The seed distribution exercise forms part of a broader effort to improve household nutrition, enhance food security and strengthen livelihoods among vulnerable families.
The initiative funded by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is implemented in partnership with Helen Keller International, Vitamin Angels, and iDE.
Also read: Helen Keller International, Akwa Ibom Govt Partner to Tackle Malnutrition in Nigeria
Speaking during the distribution exercise, the representative of Helen Keller, Ms. Gift Alfred, emphasized the importance of utilizing the improved seed varieties and adopting the climate-smart and nutrition-sensitive farming practices taught during the beneficiaries’ training sessions.
She encouraged participants to maximize the opportunity presented by the project to increase agricultural productivity, improve household incomes, and enhance family nutrition.
Flagging off the distribution, the Chairman of the Local Government Council, Mr. Aniefiok Nkom, commended Helen Keller International and its partners for their consistent support to communities in the area.
He noted that the intervention aligns with the local government’s commitment to promoting food security and agricultural development.
As a demonstration of this commitment, he announced plans to make part of the council’s six-hectare cassava farmland available to beneficiaries who face challenges accessing land for cultivation.
Representatives of the State Ministry of Agriculture, Mr Ernest Awakesien and Akwa Ibom Agricultural Development Programme (AKADEP), Elder Emah Ekanem also praised the intervention, describing it as complementary to the state’s agricultural development agenda.
They urged beneficiaries to embrace the opportunity and expand their farming activities for improved harvests and economic gains.
On behalf of the beneficiaries, a participant from Utu Ikpe community expressed appreciation to Helen Keller International and its partners for the impactful intervention, noting that the project has continued to improve the livelihoods of families across the area.
The TLTN project continues to demonstrate the power of strategic partnerships in addressing malnutrition, promoting sustainable agriculture, and building resilient communities across Akwa Ibom State.
Hundreds of female farmers from Mbo, Itu, Ibiono Ibom and Eket Local Government Areas also benefited from the Transforming Lives Through Nutrition project, smiling home with the high-yielding varieties of vitamin A-fortified maize, okra, and groundnut seeds after undergoing training on climate-smart and nutrition-sensitive agricultural practices aimed at improving productivity, nutrition, and household livelihoods.
Project participants from the benefiting LGAs spoke in glowing terms about the initiative, stressing that Helen Keller International has made great impacts on their lives through its numerous intervention programmes, which they said has helped in improving the livelihood of their community members.
