The South East Development Commission (SEDC) recently flagged off its South East Agro-Development Programme with the commencement of a 200-hectare integrated model farm at Nomeh Unataeze, Nkanu East Local Government Area of Enugu State.
The pilot project, implemented in partnership with the Enugu State Government is aimed at boosting food production, creating jobs, developing agricultural skills, improving livelihoods and strengthening agro-value chains across the South East.
The flag off was witnessed by Enugu State Deputy Governor, Barr. Ifeanyi Ossai who represented Governor Peter Mbah, Minister of Regional Development, Engr. Abubakar Momoh, SEDC Chairman, Dr. Emeka Wogu, Managing Director/CEO, Mark Okoye, traditional rulers and community leaders.
Ossai described the project as an example of what strategic collaboration between government institutions could achieve, particularly as food production and economic diversification remain major development priorities.
“The development of this agricultural facility in Nomeh demonstrates what is possible when government institutions work together around a clear development objective,” Ossai said.
He said the project would not only produce food but also create jobs, develop skills, support farmers and strengthen the agricultural value chain in Nkanu East, Enugu State and the wider South East.
The integrated facility will combine dairy, poultry, fisheries, fodder production, greenhouse farming, processing, mechanisation, renewable energy and practical agricultural training within one coordinated agricultural system.
SEDC said the project will provide for a 200 head dairy herd, poultry production of up to 20,000 birds per cycle, fisheries infrastructure, extensive fodder cultivation and silage production, alongside processing and demonstration facilities.
Okoye said the project was designed to demonstrate how land, technology, mechanisation, production, processing, training and markets could be brought together to build productive capacity in the region.
“The real impact is what happens around the farm and beyond the farm,” he said, adding that the programme would support young people, smallholder farmers, dairy producers and other participants in the agricultural value chain.
According to the Commission, the out-grower programme will initially target about 300 households within a 10-kilometre radius of the farm, while its training centre will accommodate between 100 and 120 trainees at a time.
The project is expected to support more than 1,000 direct jobs at maturity. At the same time, SEDC said the Nomeh facility would serve as a pilot for similar agricultural and agro-mechanisation interventions across the five South East states.
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