…targets high youth employment

By Gabriel Ewepu

ABUJA – IN the bid to ensure sustainability and productivity in federal government’s agricultural interventions, the National Agricultural Land Development Authority, NALDA, Thursday, signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, with an agribusiness firm, Arzikin Noma Nigeria Limited to implement and manage the ‘Renewed Hope Mega Farm project.

According to the Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer, CEO, NALDA, Engr Cornelius Adebayo, the MoU serves as a platform for galvanizing agribusiness to motivate young Nigerians and investors to take up farm business in order to boost food security and create massive employments.

Adebayo also explained that the project in Ora, Kwara State, as well as in Ilawe, Ekiti State, and Bauchi State, has commenced, whereby, Arzikin Noma, which is a private agribusiness anchor will be responsible for the management of Ora project in Kwara State, adding that the company will basically finance the participating farmers, then his agency will put in place infrastructure to facilitate operations at the site including land preparation and basic amenities.

Meanwhile, he further stated that each farmer is going to cultivate an average of five hectares of land, and given support, where he or she will access a mechanisation hub to be provided with tractor and other relevant equipment services.

He also added that farmers are not expected to make any upfront payment, because there will be deduction from his or her post-harvest with a transparent wallet system to pay for the costs for services rendered.

He said: “This is the era of sexy agriculture, and NALDA is at the forefront of this mandate.

“These mega farm settlements are clusters of at least 5,000 hectares, with land cleared, hostels, administrative blocks, warehouses, police stations, and even sporting and recreational facilities to make farming attractive to young Nigerians.

“NALDA is not involved in input or funding. Arzikin Noma will manage and finance the farmers directly because they are also responsible for the quality of output. This model ensures accountability, quality control, and sustainability.”

Meanwhile, he (Adebayo) acknowledged and appreciated President Bola Tinubu’s commitment and action by giving full fledged support for the initiative, as he maintained that the project will definitely contribute significantly to building Nigeria’s middle class and achieving food and nutrition security in no distant.

“This project will create jobs, improve the economy, and rebuild rural communities. The Renewed Hope agenda is real our hope is renewed”, he said.

The NALDA boss also reassured Nigerians that his agency is committed to transparency and implementation of the projects as it can be seen doing while he highlighted various several partnerships that have already been secured and set in motion including with the Anambra State Government, the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, NCFRMI,, Agbeyewa Farms in Ekiti, and among others.

And he made it known that NALDA is also into partnership with the Nigerian Sugar Development Council, NSDC, to demonstrate the profitability of commercial sugarcane farming, which bulldozers are already mobilized to site for operation.

“We are a government agency that honours its agreements. This partnership is another proof that NALDA delivers on its promises”, he said.

He also called on big players in the Nigerian economy including oil and gas companies, telecoms and others to invest in agriculture and agribusiness.

In a remark, the Group Managing Director, MD, Arzikin Noma, Michael Adeshola, commended President Tinubu for his commitment and clear foresight to revitalize agribusiness by making frantic efforts to galvanize and modernize agriculture, which is to attract young people into agribusiness and for them to drive the agricultural sector.

Adeshola further stated that for sure such collaborations between government, private investors, and development partners would promote climate-smart agriculture, create jobs, reduce rural-urban migration, and make Nigeria a food hub for Africa.

“This partnership is the big one that will transform Nigeria’s food system. With NALDA’s mandate to open over 10 million hectares in 10 years, Nigeria is closer than ever to achieving food sovereignty.”

“Before now, multinationals imported up to 70% of their raw materials. With partnerships like this, we have reduced that gap to about 30%, and soon, Nigeria will not just feed itself but export to other African countries”, he said.