The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has unveiled plans to organise a summit aimed at revolutionising agriculture across the nine states of the Niger Delta region.
The states targeted by the initiative are 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 would serve to align the region with President Bola Tinubu’s agrarian programme.
He emphasised the commission’s commitment to reduce the Niger Delta’s dependence on crude oil as the primary source of revenue.
“We aim to establish a framework for regional agricultural integration, which will subsequently evolve into full regional agricultural summit.
“This platform will serve to 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 that some of the crops currently imported into the country cannot be cultivated in this region?
“Many of our 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, Sapele area of Delta.
He also noted that the NDDC had partnered with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) to deliver apprenticeship programmes for residents of the region.
“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.