By Philip Ezuma, Port Harcourt
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”, he said.
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”, he added.
