NALDA launches 10-year plan to develop 10 million hectares of land

The National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA) has unveiled a 10-year strategic plan aimed at developing 10 million hectares of land across Nigeria.

The initiative, targeted at enhancing food security, boosting agricultural productivity, and attracting private sector investment, will optimize and develop 5 million hectares of farmland in the next five years.

The Executive Secretary of NALDA, Segun Adebayo, while speaking at a stakeholders’ engagement on the 10-year strategic plan in Abuja at the weekend, said the plan would serve as a framework for sustainable land development, focusing on land preparation, irrigation, and the provision of farm infrastructure.

He emphasized that land development goes beyond clearing, as it also involves land preparation, irrigation, and the provision of infrastructure on the farm.

The Executive Secretary stated that to enhance security within farm clusters, NALDA signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Police Trust Fund to provide security installations, adding that their plan is to also construct hostels for farmers and other essential facilities.

He further stated that the strategy prioritizes crops with national shortages and identifies suitable cultivation areas, adding that in the next five years, NALDA aims to develop 5 million hectares while optimizing existing farmlands to improve yields.

Emphasizing the importance of the clusterization of farmers, Adebayo mentioned that it would ease the provision of mechanization services, and farm input distribution, as well as put in place adequate security measures for farmers.

He disclosed that pilot programs have already commenced in Kwara, Ekiti, Benue, Plateau, and Bauchi states, with plans to expand nationwide.

The initiative aligns with the presidential mandate to open 10 million hectares of land for agricultural use, with private sector involvement expected to support its implementation.