Abuja: The National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA) has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Agbeyewa Farms Ltd. to enhance cassava production. NALDA Executive Secretary, Mr. Cornelius Adebayo, announced that this partnership would focus on accelerating land development and large-scale cassava cultivation.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the joint venture aims to boost food security, create jobs, and fortify Nigeria’s agro-industrial value chain. The collaboration is also expected to enhance food security and strengthen Nigeria’s position in the global cassava value chain.
Under the MoU, NALDA will clear 5,000 hectares of land to enable Agbeyewa Farms to expand their existing 3,000-hectare cassava plantation in Ekiti. The authority will also support similar initiatives in Delta and Kwara States. Adebayo emphasized that while the government provides the enabling environment, enterprises like Agbeyewa are essential for driving the agricultural sector forward.
Adebayo noted that the partnership aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda for agricultural transformation. Inspired by Tinubu’s visit to Agbeyewa Farms, the initiative prioritizes cassava as a focus crop for NALDA. Despite Nigeria being the world’s largest cassava producer, the country has not significantly benefited from the global export market. NALDA aims to support value addition and industrial processing of cassava derivatives to close this gap.
Managing Director and CEO of Agbeyewa Farms, Mr. Oscar Ayeleso, praised NALDA’s leadership and described the collaboration as a milestone for the company. Agbeyewa Farms plans to expand its cassava cultivation to 5,000 hectares by 2025 and currently supplies major processors like Nestl©. The company’s operations have created over 2,300 jobs and aim to transform rural communities through mechanized farming.
Technical Adviser to NALDA’s Executive Secretary, Olusegun Owolabi, highlighted that the collaboration is a strategic partnership for resource sharing and innovation, providing a framework for transparency and strengthened cooperation.