Port harcourt: The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) in Nigeria has reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to transforming the Niger Delta region into Nigeria’s food production hub through sustainable agricultural development and regional collaboration. The Managing Director of NDDC, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, disclosed this during a two-day strategic retreat tagged ‘Niger Delta Critical Stakeholders’ Agenda Setting on Unlocking Agricultural Potential of the Niger Delta Region,’ held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. He noted that agriculture remained the most sustainable pathway to economic growth, peace, and food security in the region.
According to Voice of Nigeria, Ogbuku emphasized that the retreat aimed to ensure food security in the Niger Delta and build an agricultural hub that can feed the nation. He highlighted the region’s potential and comparative advantage in aquaculture and stressed the importance of making agriculture a key focus of the Renewed Hope Agenda. Ogbuku also pointed out that before crude oil exploration, the people of the Niger Delta were predominantly farmers, and a return to agriculture offers a sustainable and inclusive economic future.
Ogbuku stated that agriculture could create employment and guarantee food export. He called for collaboration among NDDC and other partners to invest in agriculture, taking advantage of the region’s blue economy and restoring staples like bananas and cocoyam. The NDDC is in discussions with the Origin Group to explore a partnership to establish a regional food hub in the Niger Delta, integrating agricultural value chains and promoting large-scale food processing and export.
The NDDC Executive Director, Projects, Dr. Victor Antai, described the gathering as a ‘call to action,’ urging stakeholders to take steps to drive agricultural transformation across the Niger Delta. He highlighted the region’s resources, including vast arable land, rich waterways, and a resilient population, which could make it Nigeria’s next powerhouse in agricultural productivity. Antai emphasized the retreat’s role in harmonizing efforts among state governments, private investors, and other stakeholders toward a coordinated agricultural transformation plan.
The Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr. Offiong Offor, stated that the state had a comparative advantage in palm crops and oil production, encouraging young people to venture into agriculture through training and empowerment programmes. Similarly, Bayelsa State’s Commissioner for Agriculture, Prof. Tubokiye Sese, reaffirmed the state’s commitment to food security by supporting farmers with seedlings, farming equipment, and free land-clearing.
In her remarks, NDDC Director of Agriculture and Fisheries, Dr. Winifred Madume, reiterated the Commission’s dedication to sustainable agricultural and fisheries development projects across the Niger Delta. Madume noted that these initiatives aim to enhance job creation, food security, and income generation among farmers and fisherfolk, stressing the need for collaboration with agricultural stakeholders to build farmers’ capacity and promote food sufficiency.