The Niger Delta Basin Development Authority, NDBDA, says that it
has acquired 84 hactres of land for farming as part of it’s food
security to cushion the effect of post COVID-19 pandemic in it’s
catchment areas.
It said the measure is part
of the Authority’s food security and job creation to cushion the harsh
effect of post COVID-19 pandemic.The Authority said it was
working in line with the policy of President Mohammadu Buhari in the
area of food security, job and wealth creation for the teeming
population of the youths of the Niger Delta region and by extension the
generality of Nigerians.
Disclosing this during
a media tour of some of the ongoing projects of the Basin Authority in
Kpon community of Khana local government area of Rivers state at the
weekend , the project manager of the Niger Delta Basin Development
Authority, Mr. Kobo Nekabari Marklin said that at the completion of the
massive farm projects going on in the area, thousands of jobs would be
created and sufficient food provided for the region’s sustenance.
Marklin
explained that the 84 hectares of farmland will be used to cultivate
palm oil, hybrid citrus, hybrid dwarf mango, plantain and pawpaw
plantations as well as poultry, fish ponds and other agricultural
products.
“He said that the irrigation farm
project in Kpon community, the biggest in the state and by extension the
Niger Delta, is a complete farm settlement with solar power station and
residential quarters for staff and also provides a ready market for
both the local community and the outsiders for patronage.
Marklin
explained that with sufficient funding and patronage, the Kpon
irrigation farm would absorbed over 10,000 direct and indirect labor and
make an annual profit of over N100million. “That is besides the
auxiliary benefits by the community people who see the project as their
major source of livelihood,” he said.
“With
adequate funding and patronage, we are very sure of creating thousands
of jobs and making millions of naira in profit when the project operates
in full capacity. We have massive projects going on here. The biggest
farm project in the Niger Delta region. We need more funds to inject
into the project to meet up the President Mohammadu Buhari’s policy of
food sufficiency and security for Nigerians
“Between
now and the end of the year 2020, some of these projects will begin to
function maximally. Virtually, everything will be produced here. We pray
for good government policy and favorable economic environment. We plan
to have palm oil mill, fish pond, we have poultry farm already and a lot
more
“We
have ambitious plans for hybrid mango, pawpaw, plantain, palm tree and
citrus plantations. When they are fully mature, obviously, we can feed
the entire Niger Delta region and by extension Nigeria as a whole. The
project is massive and the present management of the NDBDA is poised at
achieving this objective within the shortest possible time”, he said.
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