Governor of Enugu State, Dr Peter Mbah, on Tuesday, officially flagged off the South-East Agro-Development Programme (SEADP), a 200-hectare pilot integrated model farm by the South-East Development Commission (SEDC) at Nomeh Unateze, Nkanu East Local Council Area of Enugu State.

The historic event, which marks a significant transition from planning to physical implementation by the Commission, was witnessed by the Minister of Regional Development, Abubakar Momoh; Chairman of SEDC, Dr Emeka Wogu; Managing Director/CEO of the Commission, Mr Mark Okoye; Secretary to Enugu State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, as well as traditional and community leaders, other stakeholders, and community members.

Mbah, who was represented by the Deputy Governor, Ifeanyi Ossai, described the project as an important example of what strategic collaboration between South-East states and the Commission can achieve, particularly at a time when food production and economic diversification had become increasingly important.

He noted that the Agro-Development Programme fit perfectly with the state government’s decision to build 200-hectare modern farm estates in the state’s 260 wards, saying the state’s investment in agriculture aligns with other government projects and the commitment to eradicate poverty in the state by 2031.

“When we invest hugely in education, when we invest hugely in expanding our road infrastructure, when we invest in security, health, and transportation, it is to create access for investors and partners like the SEDC to have access to land and development opportunities.

“History has also taught us all over the world that communities, states and governments that invest in agriculture with a geometric progression can migrate their people faster from poverty to a middle-class economy. And what the South East Development Commission (SEDC) is doing today is an example of one of those efforts, and of the results we can get by working together.

“So, we believe that this project can become an important part of the economic development of not just Nomeh Unateze and Enugu East Senatorial Zone, but the entire South-East region within the context of Nigeria,” he said, urging the people of Nomeh to also own the project.

The Managing Director/CEO of SEDC, Okoye, explained that the project was deliberately designed as a development project to redefine how the region approaches agriculture.