It was indeed a memorable and significant day in the history of agricultural programmes in the Niger Delta region, as Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, performed the inaugural harvest of its Rice and Cassava Farmers Empowerment Programme at Warrake in Owan East Local Government Area of Edo State.
Managing Director of the commission, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, while speaking at a rice farm in Warrake, expressed satisfaction over the farmers’ eagerness towards ensuring that there’s surplus food production within the Niger Delta region; assuring that as the flood waters receded, the programme will sustain all-season farming across all the states within the region.
The NDDC Director of Agriculture and Fisheries, Dr Winifred Madume, who stood the ground for the NDDC Boss Dr. Ogbuku, recalled that the enthusiasm of farmers and community leaders at the ceremony, alongside with their fears based on numerous past disappointments; became very over joyous seeing that they started working with farmers in the first set of communities a few weeks after the ceremony; and Today, he is pleased that harvesting had begun in Warrake.
According to Ogbuku: “Today, this harvest serves as a milestone in a journey that is far from complete but has certainly taken off on a strong footing.
“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.
Ogbuku, hinted that NDDC was equally working with farmers in Rivers and Akwa Ibom States, while charging farmers, communities, and the consultant to continue working closely with the commission in order to replicate this success across all the project areas and improve on their accomplishments.
Speaking further, he appreciated 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; adding that NDDC will continue to work on accomplishing his directives.
However, he mentioned that the lessons derived from this inaugural farm and others currently at various stages would support the efforts of the commission in continuous improvement of the programme.
In the same vein, Ogbuku commended the Warrake community’s leadership for making the land available and providing the enabling environment for the project’s success.
Moreso, he extended the appreciation down to farmers for their hard work, which he said was the reason for the celebration today.
He viewed that the proceeds of this harvest, will continue to sustain this programme even as they benefit from their hard works.
Also, in his own view, the NDDC Consultant for the project, Mr. Kemedi Dimieari, who Spoke earlier on the agricultural programme, revealed that the core reason behind this task, was to ensure that the Niger Delta region regained its status as the leading light in agriculture, especially in rice and cassava farming; maintaining that the Warrake rice farm started with a land preparation covering about 98 hectares, of which 50 were planted.
Responding, traditional ruler of Warrake, HRH Alimu Ogbeidu, who was represented by Chief Mustapha Orogho, threw light on the importance of food security and urged the Federal Government to ensure adequate protection for farmers to engage in food production and plead with the commission to build an accessable road to the rice farm.
