As part of efforts to tackle food insecurity, create employment and strengthen economic activities in the South East, the South East Development Commission, SEDC, is set to commence its agro-mechanisation programme with the development of pilot farms across the region.
The first of 15 projects planned across the senatorial zones will be flagged off in Enugu State next week, according to the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of SEDC, Mark Okoye.
Okoye disclosed this during a site inspection and community engagement at Nomeh Unateze in Nkanu East Local Government Area of Enugu State, where he said the commission had identified agriculture as a key area through which some of the region’s pressing economic and social challenges could be addressed.
He explained that agro-mechanisation formed an important part of the economic development blueprint prepared by the commission after its first year of operation, during which it carried out studies to identify development priorities across the South East.
According to him, the agricultural initiative is expected to increase food production while creating opportunities for employment and helping to reduce conditions that contribute to insecurity in the region.
He said the programme would involve the development of up to 50,000 hectares of farmland for mechanised agriculture across the South East, with the initial phase focusing on pilot farms in the region’s 15 senatorial zones.
The pilot farms, he said, would cover between 200 and 300 hectares in each senatorial zone and would be developed as standard commercial farms producing both staple and cash crops.
Okoye said crops to be cultivated would include cassava and maize alongside other crops suited to the different locations, adding that some of the sites would also have learning and productivity centres.
He explained that the community engagement at Nomeh Unateze was aimed at examining the proposed site, consulting residents and identifying the requirements that must be addressed before contractors move in to commence work.
The Enugu project, he said, would be formally launched next week following discussions and an agreement with the state governor, Peter Mbah.
Beyond agricultural production, Okoye said the project was capable of attracting between N4 billion and ₦5 billion in additional investment to the area, with increased economic activity expected to emerge around the farm.
He also disclosed that SEDC was preparing to establish an investment agency that would focus on attracting capital from residents of the region and members of the South East diaspora for development projects.
Reflecting on the establishment of the commission, Okoye commended President Bola Tinubu for creating SEDC, describing it as the institutional framework needed to mobilise resources and coordinate development initiatives across the region.
He called on residents of the South East to remain committed to development efforts and ensure that programmes initiated under the current administration receive continued support beyond 2027.
Speaking on the expected benefits to the community, the media aide to the Enugu State Governor and community leader, Uche Anichukwu, said the project would provide a new opportunity for agricultural and economic development in Nomeh Unateze.
Anichukwu pointed to the Nenwe, Nomeh, Mburubu and Nara road, including the spur to Oduma, as an important route that would improve access between the agricultural area and markets.
The Chairman of the Nomeh Unateze Town Union Caretaker Committee, Dr Chukwudi Anyianuka, said the community was ready to support the project and provide the cooperation required for its successful implementation.
Anyianuka commended SEDC for what he described as a structured approach to development, noting that the commission had taken time to conduct studies and prepare a master plan before committing resources to projects.
He expressed optimism that the agro mechanisation initiative would contribute to the economic transformation of the South East.
The engagement was attended by members of the traditional council, community leaders and other stakeholders from Nomeh Unateze.
