The South East Development Commission (SEDC) is set to launch a regional agromechanisation programme aimed at increasing agricultural productivity, creating jobs and attracting investment across the five states of Nigeria’s South-East region.
Under the initiative, the Commission plans to establish three agromechanisation projects in each of the three senatorial zones across Enugu, Abia, Imo, Anambra and Ebonyi states, in partnership with the respective state governments.
The programme will commence in Enugu State, with the pilot project located in Nomeh, Nkanu East Local Government Area.
Speaking during a community engagement on the proposed project, the Executive Director of Natural Resources, Agriculture and Rural Development at SEDC, Dr Clifford Ogbede, said the initiative was designed to modernise agriculture and make the sector more productive and attractive to young people.
Ogbede, represented by his Technical Adviser, Dr Chris Uwadoka, said the projects would generate direct and indirect employment while creating opportunities to attract both local and foreign investment into the region.
He said the Commission was seeking to rebuild the South-East’s agricultural economy through improved farming methods, mechanisation, better-quality seeds and technical expertise.
“We could all recall that the Eastern Region economy was at a point rated as the fastest growing economy in the world. And at the root of it was agriculture,” he said.
According to Ogbede, the Commission developed its agricultural blueprint to restore the region’s productive capacity while creating opportunities for young people, farmers and entrepreneurs.
In Enugu State, additional agromechanisation projects are planned for Elugwu Akwu in Oji River Local Government Area and Nkpologwu in Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area.
The programme is expected to bring agricultural specialists, agro-entrepreneurs, improved seeds and modern farming techniques closer to farmers, enabling them to improve productivity and increase their incomes.
Ogbede identified youth employment as one of the key objectives of the programme, noting that many young people had moved away from agriculture because of its labour-intensive nature and relatively low productivity.
The Commission expects the projects to support the development of agricultural enterprises capable of generating employment while connecting farmers to markets and new income opportunities.
The Enugu State Liaison Officer to SEDC, Edeani M. Edeani, said the initiative could also contribute to addressing insecurity by creating productive opportunities for young people.
He noted that large-scale agricultural projects could encourage the productive use of land and other resources while providing sustainable employment.
A community leader and Senior Special Assistant to the Enugu State Governor on Media, Uche Anichukwu, commended the Federal Government and SEDC for selecting Nomeh as the location for the pilot project.
He said the initiative could help revive the community’s agricultural and commercial activities, which experienced significant decline following the civil war.
The traditional ruler of Nomeh Unateze, Igwe Israel Okonkwo Mbah, represented by his traditional prime minister, Chief Daniel Anikpuma, also welcomed the project, describing it as an opportunity to revitalise the community’s agricultural economy.
The SEDC said the wider agromechanisation programme would serve as a platform for agricultural production, mechanisation, job creation, entrepreneurship and investment, with the broader goal of strengthening the South-East’s agricultural sector and expanding economic opportunities across the region.
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