The Norwegian Church Mission and Promotion of Agriculture in Ikwo, 1962-1982

Abstract

The pacification of Ikwo territory in 1905-1906 resulted in the coming of various Christian Missionary groups. In 1936, the Scotish Presbyterian Missionaries arrived Ikwo and subsequently, established the Norwegian Church Agricultural Project (NORCAP), in cooperation with the Norwegian Church Missionaries, in 1962. Prior to that effect, subsistence farming system has dominated Ikwo clan up to the middle 1900, when the influx of the Norwegian Church Agriculturists introduced a new farming system that replaced the old subsistence farming system. This marked the beginning of mechanization and agricultural industries in Ikwo. It led to the introduction of fertilizer chemical, crop trial and seed/plant multiplication, community group farms, cooperatives, training and re-training of farmers, expatriate’s services, animal husbandry, nutritional services, social services and recreational services. Hence, this work is an attempt to explore the activities and impacts of NORCAP to the development of Ikwo economy, in a historical perspective. The scope of this study covers a period of twenty years, from 1962-1982. The reason for this scope is that the Norwegian Church Agricultural Project (NORCAP), was officially established in 1962, by the Presbyterian Missionaries, in alliance with the Norwegian Missionaries, which marked the transition from subsistence to commercial farming in Ikwo, through a mechanized system. In 1982, the Anambra State government, in agreement with the Presbyterian Church, took over NORCAP and subsequently converted the NORCAP headquarters to Anambra State College of Agriculture and Ikwo Local Government Headquarters. The method adopted in the study combines both descriptive and historical narrative. Qualitative research methodology is used in the re-interpretation and analysis of verifiable information collected from both primary, secondary and tertiary sources.