Mbah, SEDC Kick Off South East Agro-Development Programme In Enugu

Governor of Enugu State, Dr Peter Mbah, has flagged off the South East Agro-Development Programme (SEADP), a 200-hectare pilot integrated model farm by the South East Development Commission (SEDC) at Nomeh Unateze, Nkanu East local government area (LGA) of Enugu State.

The event, which marked a significant transition from planning to implementation by the commission, was witnessed by the minister of Regional Development, Engr. Abubakar Momoh; chairman of SEDC, Dr Emeka Wogu; managing director/CEO of the commission, Mr Mark Okoye; secretary to Enugu State government (SSG), Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, as well as traditional and community leaders and other stakeholders, and community members.

Governor Mbah, who was represented by the deputy governor, Barr. Ifeanyi Ossai, described the project as an important example of what strategic collaboration between South East states and the commission can achieve, particularly at a time when food production and economic diversification had become increasingly important.

He noted that the programme fitted perfectly into the state government’s decision to build 200-hectare modern farm estates in the 260 wards of the state, saying the state’s investment in agriculture connects perfectly with other government projects and the commitment to eradicate poverty in the state by 2031.

“When we invest hugely in education, when we invest hugely in expanding our road infrastructure, when we invest in security, health, and transportation, it is to create access to enable investors and partners like the SEDC to have access to land, have access to development opportunities.

“History has also taught us all over the world that communities, states and governments that invest in agriculture with a geometric progression are able to migrate their people faster from poverty to middle-class economy. And what the South East Development Commission is doing today is an example of one of those efforts and the result we can get working together. But that is not more.

“So, we believe that this project can become an important part of the economic development of not just Nomeh Unateze and Enugu East Senatorial Zone, but the entire South East region within the context of Nigeria,” he said, urging the people of Nomeh to also own the project.

The Managing Director/CEO of SEDC, Mr. Okoye, explained that the project was deliberately designed as a development project to redefine how the region approaches agriculture.

“The South East Agro-Development Programme is about building productive capacity of the region. We want to demonstrate what agriculture can look like when land, technology, mechanisation, production, processing, training and markets are brought together in one,” he stated.

Okoye said the project would ultimately be measured by its impact beyond the physical boundaries of the 200-hectare site, stating that the Nomeh Unateze project is intended as a starting point and practical template for the Commission’s wider agricultural and agro-mechanisation interventions across the five states of the South East.

“The real impact is what happens around the farm and beyond the farm. It is the young person who acquires a practical skill here and starts a farm elsewhere; the farmer who supplies maize or soya to the feed mill; the dairy farmer who gets technical support and access to a reliable market, and the smallholder farmer who is able to increase production because the ecosystem around them has improved,” he said.

He commended Governor Mbah for his visionary and proactive approach to governance, also expressing his pleasure at the uncommon level of buy-in and support so far demonstrated by Nomeh Unateze.

Speaking on behalf of the Federal Government, the Minister of Regional Development, Engr. Momoh, said the objective of the project transcended mere food production.

“We must build an agricultural system that is productive, resilient and capable of creating value across the entire chain. We must produce. We must process. We must create markets. We must reduce post-harvest losses. We must improve productivity and incomes. And we must create opportunities for young Nigerians to participate meaningfully in modern agriculture,” he emphasised.

Chairman of the SEDC, Dr. Wogu, assured that the Commission would continue to work with state governments and other stakeholders to ensure that SEDC’s interventions complement existing development efforts.

“Regional development requires partnership. The Commission cannot and should not work in isolation from the state governments, communities, the private sector and development partners. Our responsibility is to create platforms that connect these stakeholders around opportunities that can generate sustainable economic value for the people of the South East,” he stated.

Speaking on behalf of the community, president general of Nomeh Unataeze, Dr. Chukwudi Anyianuka, described the project as a restoration of the glory of the community, assuring the community’s total support and ownership of the project.

“We welcome this project because we see it as an investment in the future of Nomeh and our people. Our community understands that a project of this scale requires cooperation, responsibility and a shared commitment to its success. We are ready to work with SEDC, the state government, contractors, investors, and all the partners involved to ensure that the project delivers the opportunities that our young people, farmers and community deserve,” he said.

Community leader and media aide to Enugu State Governor Mbah appreciated President Bola Tinubu for answering the age-long prayers of the people of the South East through the creation of the SEDC to coordinate and speed up the region’s development post-civil war.

“Now our place as the host of the pilot project of the SEDC is not lost on us. Because we play the politics of development, our gratitude will translate to votes for President Tinubu, our Governor, and the APC come 2027,” Anichukwu assured.

The executive director, Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Rural Development (NRARD) at the SEDC, Dr. Clifford Ogbede, reiterated the Commission’s commitment to reviving the agro-industrial revolution that placed the defunct Eastern Region as the fastest-growing economy between 1954 and 1964, courtesy of the late Dr. Michael Okpara’s visionary leadership.