By CHARLES IWUOHA

The South East Development Commission (SEDC) is making agriculture a central part of its strategy to rebuild the region’s productive economy, drawing on the agricultural development model associated with former Eastern Region Premier, Dr Michael Okpara.

Dr Cliff Ogbede, Executive Director for Natural Resources, Agriculture and Rural Development at the SEDC, said during an October 2026 appearance on ARISE News that the commission was implementing elements of the development approach used during the Okpara’s administration.

He said the SEDC was working with the five South-East governors to improve the business environment and strengthen the region’s position in agricultural markets.

The commission has launched a 200-hectare integrated pilot farm in Enugu State.

The pilot project is designed to combine dairy, poultry, fisheries, greenhouse farming and agro-processing.

SEDC projects more than 1,000 direct jobs from the Enugu project when fully operational.

Plan call for 200–300-hectare pilot farms across the 15 senatorial districts of the South-East.

The initial phase has a target of up to 50,000 hectares of mechanised cultivation.

The programme aims to connect agricultural production with processing, markets and job creation.

Actual employment and production outcomes will depend on implementation, financing, land access and coordination.

According to Ogbede, the SEDC’s agricultural strategy draws inspiration from the development policies associated with the administration of Michael Okpara, who served as Premier of the Eastern Region from 1959 until the military coup of 1966.

During the period, agriculture was closely linked with agro-industrial development. Farm settlements were established in areas including Igbariam, Ulonna and Ohaji, with the aim of providing farmers with access to land, agricultural inputs and extension services.

Plantation agriculture involving crops such as oil palm, cocoa and cashew also supported processing and commercial activities.

Historical accounts of the period have documented substantial agricultural and industrial activity in the former Eastern Region, although the development trajectory was later disrupted by political instability and the Nigerian Civil War.

The SEDC’s current agricultural initiative is the South East Agro-Development Programme, which is designed to combine farming with processing, mechanisation, training and other components of the agricultural value chain.

In September 2026, the commission and the Enugu State Government flagged off a 200-hectare integrated pilot farm at Nomeh Unataeze in Nkanu East Local Government Area.

The planned facility Is expected to incorporate several agricultural activities, including dairy production with a planned 200-head herd, poultry production with capacity for up to 20,000 birds per cycle, fisheries, greenhouse cultivation, fodder and silage production, agro-processing, agricultural mechanisation, renewable energy, and a training centre expected to accommodate about 100 to 120 trainees at a time.

The commission has projected that the project could create more than 1,000 direct jobs when fully operational, alongside additional employment opportunities within related agricultural value chains. These figures remain projections and will depend on the eventual scale and performance of the project.

The commission’s broader plan envisages establishing pilot farms across the five South-East states. Under the proposal, 200- to 300-hectare pilot farms would be developed in each of the region’s 15 senatorial districts across Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo states.

The Initial phase has an overall target of up to 50,000 hectares of land for mechanised cultivation. Crops identified for emphasis include staples such as cassava and maize, alongside higher-value agricultural products.

The SEDC’s model is intended to move beyond primary agricultural production by connecting farms with processing facilities, markets and other parts of the agricultural value chain.

SEDC Seeks Stronger Agricultural Value Chains

The commission’s approach places emphasis on creating an integrated agricultural system rather than relying solely on smallholder production. Under the model, agricultural production would be supported by processing, mechanisation, energy infrastructure, training and market access.

The SEDC also intends for successful pilot projects to provide models that could subsequently be adopted by state governments and private investors. Such an approach could potentially strengthen links between farmers, processors, distributors and consumers across the region.

The commission has linked its agricultural strategy to longstanding challenges affecting productive capacity and investment in the South-East. These include infrastructure gaps, difficulties in coordinating investment across states and the need to expand productive economic activities.

The commission’s strategy is therefore focused not only on increasing agricultural output but also on developing infrastructure and business opportunities around agriculture.

Despite the scale of the proposed programme, the projected employment and agricultural output will depend on how the projects are implemented. Key factors include access to land, financing, security of tenure, infrastructure, security and sustained coordination between the SEDC and the five state governments.

At present, implementation is concentrated around the Enugu pilot project, while assessments are continuing in other parts of the region. The commission has also been examining agricultural resources elsewhere, including the mapping of arable land and irrigation potential in Anambra State.

The SEDC’s agriculture programme represents an attempt to place farming and agro-processing at the centre of the South-East’s economic development strategy.

By combining mechanised farming, processing, training, renewable energy and market access, the commission says it hopes to build a more integrated agricultural economy.

Whether the programme achieves the employment and production targets announced by the commission will become clearer as the pilot projects expand and additional sites move from assessment to implementation.