Port Harcourt: The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has unveiled plans to organise a summit to revolutionise agriculture across the nine states of the Niger Delta region.
The initiative targets the states of Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Imo, Ondo, and Rivers.
Dr Samuel Ogbuku, the NDDC Managing Director, made the remarks in a statement issued by the Commission’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Mrs Seledi Thompson-Wakama, in Port Harcourt on Sunday.
According to the statement, Ogbuku spoke at the inauguration of the Renewed Hope Multi-Purpose Training Centre in Otuokpoti, Ogbia area of Bayelsa.
Ogbuku stated that the planned summit would involve participation from state governments and other stakeholders and align the region with President Bola Tinubu’s agrarian programme.
He emphasised the commission’s commitment to reducing the Niger Delta’s dependence on crude oil as its primary revenue source.
“We aim to establish a framework for regional agricultural integration, which will subsequently evolve into a full regional agrarian summit.
“This platform will formulate a comprehensive master plan for agriculture across the region,” he said.
Ogbuku added that stakeholders at the summit would deliberate on the role of agriculture in fostering peace, security, and food sufficiency in the Niger Delta.
He challenged prevailing assumptions regarding food imports, questioning why certain imported crops were not cultivated locally.
“Who says some crops currently imported into the country cannot be cultivated in this region?
“Many states have abandoned crop cultivation, but we can revive this culture. We must combine our efforts to achieve food sufficiency and sustainable food security,” he asserted.
The NDDC managing director further recalled that in 2024, the commission had trained about 200 women and youths in livestock farming and agro-processing at Okiemutie Farms in the Sapele area of Delta.
He also noted that the NDDC partnered with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) to deliver apprenticeship programmes for the region’s residents.
“All of these initiatives are part of our broader strategy to implement policies and programmes that promote food security and reduce poverty across the nine states region,” Ogbuku said.
