The South East Development Commission (SEDC) has commenced work on a 200-hectare integrated model farm at Nomeh Unataeze in Nkanu East Local Government Area of Enugu State.

The facility is being developed under the Commission’s South East Agro-Development Programme, with objectives that include increasing food production, generating employment, building agricultural skills and strengthening value chains across the region.

According to a statement signed on Wednesday by SEDC Executive Director, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Cliff Ogbede, the project signals a transition from planning to the physical implementation of the Commission’s agricultural programme.

The flag-off ceremony was attended by Enugu State Deputy Governor, Barr. Ifeanyi Ossai, who represented Governor Peter Mbah; Minister of Regional Development, Engr. Abubakar Momoh; SEDC Chairman, Dr Emeka Wogu; Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of SEDC, Mr Mark Okoye; traditional rulers, community leaders and other stakeholders.

Ossai described the farm as an illustration of what could be achieved through cooperation between the Enugu State Government and SEDC.

He said the facility was intended to serve purposes beyond food production, including job creation, skills development and support for farmers throughout the agricultural value chain.

“Enugu State is committed to creating the conditions for productive investment, and we are pleased to partner with SEDC on a project that will not only produce food, but also create jobs, develop skills, support farmers and strengthen the agricultural value chain,” Ossai said.

The project is part of SEDC’s broader agricultural development and mechanisation strategy, through which the Commission aims to use agriculture to advance food security, enterprise development, employment and regional economic growth.

Rather than concentrating on a single agricultural activity, the Nomeh facility will integrate dairy, poultry, fisheries, fodder production, greenhouse farming, processing, mechanisation, renewable energy and hands-on agricultural training.

The integrated approach is designed to enable the different components of the farm to complement one another. Fodder production, for example, will support livestock operations, while manure and poultry waste can be used for energy generation and to improve soil fertility.

The development will include a 200-head dairy herd and poultry facilities capable of producing up to 20,000 birds per cycle. Fisheries infrastructure, silage production and processing facilities will also be provided.

Okoye said the project would showcase the integration of technology, mechanisation, production, processing, training and markets within a single agricultural system.

“The South East Agro-Development Programme is about building productive capacity of the region,” he said.

He said the project’s impact would not be measured only by activities within the 200-hectare site.

According to him, the initiative would provide young people with opportunities to develop practical agricultural skills, while farmers would gain access to inputs, technical assistance, mechanisation and markets.

An out-grower scheme is also being incorporated into the programme to connect smallholder farmers in surrounding communities to the agricultural value chain.

The scheme is expected to initially cover about 300 households located within a 10-kilometre radius of the farm, with participation projected to increase as production grows.

Farmers taking part in the scheme will receive planting materials, technical assistance, mechanisation and aggregation services. Dairy farmers will also receive assistance with breeding, feeding and milk production and will have opportunities to supply milk to the farm for processing.

The training centre at the facility is expected to take between 100 and 120 trainees at a time. Its programmes will cover dairy husbandry, fodder and silage production, poultry, fisheries and mechanisation.

At full maturity, SEDC estimates that the farm could support more than 1,000 direct jobs. Additional employment opportunities are also expected from seasonal activities and the wider out-grower network.

Momoh said the initiative was consistent with the Federal Government’s priorities on food production, agricultural productivity, mechanisation, processing and stronger agricultural value chains.

“The objective is not simply to produce more food. We must build an agricultural system that is productive, resilient and capable of creating value across the entire chain,” he said.

He emphasised the importance of increasing production while also processing agricultural output, developing markets, reducing post-harvest losses and improving farmers’ incomes.

The project is also intended to increase the contribution of the South East to Nigeria’s food supply.

Wogu said SEDC would collaborate with state governments, communities, private investors and development partners in pursuing sustainable development across the region.

“Regional development requires partnership. The Commission cannot and should not work in isolation from the state governments, communities, the private sector and development partners,” he said.

SEDC said the Nomeh facility would serve as a pilot for similar agricultural and mechanisation projects in Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo states.

Okoye said the Commission would draw lessons from the project to refine and replicate the model elsewhere in the region.

“Nomeh is the starting point. This is a pilot. We want to learn from what we build here, document what works, improve what does not, and replicate the model across the South East in line with our mandate,” he said.

The host community has pledged to support the project. President General of Nomeh Unataeze, Dr Chukwudi Anyianuka, said residents welcomed the development and recognised the responsibility associated with hosting a project of its scale.

He said the community was prepared to work with SEDC, the Enugu State Government and other partners to ensure the initiative generates opportunities for farmers and young people.

The Commission said community participation would remain a key component of the project, which it described as extending beyond a conventional farming initiative.

According to SEDC, the wider goal is to build the productive capacity required to create a more food-secure, economically active and resilient South East.

Source The Guardian