The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has announced plans to convene a regional summit aimed at transforming agriculture across the nine states of the Niger Delta.
The initiative will target Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Imo, Ondo, and Rivers States, as part of the Commission’s wider effort to diversify the region’s economy and align with the Federal Government’s agrarian vision.
Dr Samuel Ogbuku, Managing Director of the NDDC, disclosed this in a statement issued by the Commission’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Mrs Seledi Thompson-Wakama, in Port Harcourt.
According to the statement, Ogbuku made the remarks at the inauguration of the Renewed Hope Multi-Purpose Training Centre in Otuokpoti, Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
He noted that the planned agricultural summit would bring together state governments and other stakeholders to develop a regional master plan for agriculture.
“We aim to establish a framework for regional agricultural integration, which will subsequently evolve into a full regional agricultural summit,” he said.
“This platform will serve to formulate a comprehensive master plan for agriculture across the region.”
Dr Ogbuku added that the summit would also explore how agriculture could contribute to peace, security, and food sufficiency in the Niger Delta.
Also Read:Â NDDC Launches Tree-Planting Campaign Across Niger Delta Region
He challenged the reliance on food imports, urging the region to take advantage of its fertile land and favourable climate to grow more crops 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 chief recalled that in 2024, the Commission had trained around 200 women and youths in livestock farming and agro-processing at Okiemutie Farms in Sapele, Delta State.
He further noted the Commission’s collaboration with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) to deliver apprenticeship programmes across 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.
