In a bid to boost food production and ensure food security in the Northeast region, the Lamido of Adamawa, His Royal Highness Dr. Mustapha Barkindo, has approved the allocation of 2,000 hectares of land for the establishment of a modern agricultural hub.
The project is expected to transform farming practices and create employment opportunities for more than 10,000 youths across the region.
The Adamawa State Agricultural Hub, a component of the ACReSAL initiative, will be spearheaded by Business Development Managers Consultancy Services (BDMCs) in partnership with the Adamawa Emirate Council and the state government.
Speaking at the Lamido’s palace on Wednesday, Hon. Abubakar Umar, Chairman of BDMCs’ Board of Directors, explained that the land will host a comprehensive agricultural platform covering cultivation, harvesting, processing, packaging, and export. Key crops earmarked for production include yellow maize, sesame seeds, ginger, turmeric, soybeans, and hibiscus.
In addition to crop farming, the hub will also support livestock and fisheries, ranging from goat and poultry farming to milk production, cattle rearing, animal fattening, and aquaculture.
The Secretary of the Emirate, Umar Yahaya, who represented the Lamido, expressed commitment to the project, describing it as a partnership that will drive economic development, youth empowerment, and food security in Adamawa state.
Vice Chairman of BDMCs, Chief Peter Olayinka, noted that the project carries an estimated investment value of $80 million, funded by American partners with technical inputs and machinery from Chinese collaborators. He said the initiative, while beginning in Adamawa, is designed for nationwide rollout with Osun and Delta States identified as the next beneficiaries.
“The hub will create at least 10,000 direct and indirect jobs, boost internally generated revenue, and enhance agricultural research and training,” Olayinka maintained. He also disclosed that the plan included dredging of nearby rivers for all-year farming, as well as the introduction of modern techniques such as all-crop sensing and greenhouse production.
Part of the development will be a Tropical Institute of Agriculture designed to train personnel from all 36 states of Nigeria. Trainees will receive practical knowledge on crops suited to their states’ comparative advantage, alongside supervised financial support, with produce off-taken for export.
The hub will also feature an agro-city, which will include an administrative complex, hostels, a farm market square, a three-star hotel, an aquatic farm restaurant, and even a helipad to provide access for foreign investors.
