Oritsegbubemi Omatseyin
Lagos — The Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, has performed the inaugural harvest of its Rice and Cassava Farmers Empowerment Programme at Warrake in Owan East Local Government Area of Edo State.
Speaking at the first harvest at a rice farm in Warrake, the NDDC Managing Director, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, described the event as a significant day in the history of agricultural programmes in the Niger Delta region.
Ogbuku, represented by the NDDC Director of Agriculture and Fisheries, Dr Winifred Madume, expressed delight at the young farmers’ enthusiasm for boosting food production.
He declared: “This farm’s success is significant because it has adopted full mechanisation from land preparation to harvesting and good agronomic practices. We can also see that the seasons are not stopping the programme as work continues even into our short dry season.
“On June 5, 2024, we gathered at the headquarters of the Niger Delta Development Commission in Port Harcourt to formally onboard participating communities that provided land for this programme across the Niger Delta region.
“I recall the enthusiasm of farmers and community leaders at the ceremony and their fears based on numerous past disappointments. I was happy that we started working with farmers in the first set of communities a few weeks after the ceremony. Today, I am pleased that we have begun harvesting here in Warrake.”
The NDDC boss noted that the Commission was equally working with farmers in Rivers and Akwa Ibom States, stating that as the flood waters receded, the programme will sustain all-season farming across all the states of the Niger Delta region.
He said further: “I encourage farmers, communities, and the consultant to continue working closely with us to replicate this success across all the project areas and improve on our accomplishments.
“I thank President Bola Tinubu for his commitment to the sustainable development of the Niger Delta and the special emphasis he has placed on food security in Nigeria. The NDDC will continue to work on accomplishing his directives.
“During the onboarding programme in June, we assured everyone that this programme will be successful. Today this harvest serves as a milestone in a journey that is far from complete but has certainly taken off on a strong footing.”
Ogbuku said that the lessons learnt from this inaugural farm and others currently at various stages would support the efforts of the NDDC in continuous improvement of the programme. He thanked the Warrake community’s leadership for making the land available and providing the enabling environment for the project’s success.
He also thanked the farmers for their hard work, which, he said: “led to the harvest we are celebrating today. From the proceeds of this harvest, we will continue to sustain this programme even as you benefit from your hard work.”
Speaking earlier on the agricultural programme, the NDDC Consultant for the project, Mr. Kemedi Dimieari, said that the objective was to ensure that the Niger Delta region regained its status as the leading light in agriculture, especially in rice and cassava farming. He explained that the Warrake rice farm started with a land preparation covering about 98 hectares, of which 50 were planted.
The Traditional ruler of Warrake, HRH Alimu Ogbeidu, stressed the importance of food security and urged the Federal Government to ensure adequate protection for farmers to engage in food production.
The royal father, represented by Chief Mustapha Orogho, appealed to the NDDC to construct the access road to the rice farm in Warrake.
