The South-East Development Commission (SEDC) is set to launch a major agro-mechanisation project in Enugu State as part of efforts to tackle unemployment, insecurity and food insecurity across the region.
The SEDC 50,000-hectare agro-mechanisation project will begin with a pilot scheme on September 22. The pilot will take place in Nomeh Unateze community in Nkanu East Local Government Area of Enugu State.
The programme will eventually cover 50,000 hectares across the South-East. The commission plans to establish the project across the 15 senatorial zones in the five South-East states.
The SEDC Managing Director, Mark Okoye, disclosed the plans during a community engagement at the proposed pilot project site on Tuesday.
The engagement focused on preparations for the project launch. It also allowed the commission to meet community leaders and assess the farmland.
SEDC Plans 50,000 Hectares for Mechanised Farming
Okoye explained that the commission spent its first year conducting studies after its establishment in 2024.
According to him, the studies helped the SEDC develop a blueprint for regional development. The blueprint covers several areas of the South-East economy.
He identified agriculture as a major component of the plan. He said the commission wants mechanised farming to improve food production and create employment opportunities.
Okoye described the programme as one of the commission’s flagship initiatives. He referred to it as the South-East Agro Mechanisation Programme or South-East Agro Development Programme.
He said the commission plans to develop up to 50,000 hectares for mechanised agriculture across the region.
The project will begin with smaller pilot farms across the 15 senatorial zones. Each pilot location will cover between 200 and 300 hectares.
The farms will produce staple crops such as cassava and maize. Some locations will also grow cash crops suited to their environment.
The programme will also include centres for learning and productivity in selected areas.
The commission expects the approach to improve farming practices while creating opportunities for people within participating communities.
The development comes as agriculture remains a major focus in discussions about food security and job creation in Nigeria.
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Project to Begin With Pilot Scheme in Enugu
Okoye said the commission visited Nomeh Unateze for a pre-assessment ahead of the launch.
He explained that the assessment would help officials understand the work required at the site.
The commission also wants contractors to complete their preparations before mobilisation begins.
According to Okoye, the goal is to ensure that activities can start immediately after the official flag-off.
Governor Peter Mbah is expected to flag off the Enugu pilot project on September 22.
The SEDC team also used the visit to engage community representatives. Officials discussed the project and the support required from the host community.
Okoye said the commission expects significant additional investment after establishing the agricultural project.
He estimated that between N4 billion and N5 billion in additional investment could come into the area.
The expected investment could support agricultural activities and other businesses linked to the project.
It could also create opportunities around transportation, processing, storage and agricultural services.
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SEDC Links Agriculture to Food Security and Jobs
The commission said the agricultural programme is designed to address multiple challenges facing the region.
Okoye specifically mentioned food insecurity and unemployment as key issues the project seeks to tackle.
Mechanised farming can allow farmers to cultivate larger areas within shorter periods. It can also support more organised production and improve access to modern farming equipment.
The SEDC plans to combine food crops with cash crops under the programme. This could allow participating communities to produce food while developing commercial agricultural activities.
The proposed learning centres could also provide opportunities for farmers and young people to gain practical skills.
The programme therefore goes beyond simply cultivating farmland. It is also designed around productivity, training and investment.
This approach comes amid wider efforts to create economic opportunities for young people across Enugu and the South-East.
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Commission Plans Investment Agency
Okoye also disclosed another plan by the SEDC to support economic development across the South-East.
He said the commission would soon establish an investment agency.
The agency is expected to help attract investments from people within the region and those living abroad.
According to Okoye, the initiative will help mobilise local and diaspora capital for development projects.
The commission sees investment mobilisation as an important part of its broader regional development strategy.
The SEDC was established to coordinate development efforts across the five South-East states.
Okoye also commended President Bola Tinubu for establishing the commission after years of calls for a dedicated development body for the region.
He urged residents of the South-East to support the administration’s development efforts beyond 2027.
The political remarks came during the community engagement for the agricultural project.
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Community Leaders Welcome Agro-Mechanisation Project
Community leaders in Nomeh Unateze welcomed the decision to site the pilot project in their community.
Chief Uche Anichukwu described the initiative as an important development for Enugu State and the community.
Anichukwu, who also serves as media aide to Governor Mbah, linked the project to ongoing infrastructure development in the area.
He pointed to the Nenwe-Nomeh-Mburubu-Nara road, including its spur to Oduma.
According to him, the road has created multiple routes to markets for the proposed agricultural project.
Improved road access could support the movement of farm inputs and equipment. It could also make it easier to transport agricultural products to markets.
The connection between roads and agriculture could therefore become important as the project expands.
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Nomeh Unateze Promises Support
The Chairman of the Nomeh Unateze Town Union Caretaker Committee, Dr Chukwudi Anyianuka, also welcomed the project.
Other community stakeholders joined him in expressing support for the initiative.
They thanked the federal and state governments for selecting the community as the pilot location.
Anyianuka said residents were eager to see the project become operational.
He also pledged the community’s cooperation throughout the development process.
According to him, the community would provide the support needed to establish the project successfully.
He described the SEDC’s approach as a structured method of addressing regional development challenges.
Anyianuka said the commission had studied the region before developing its master plan.
He contrasted the approach with what he described as simply spending money on development challenges without a wider plan.
He said the agricultural programme forms part of the SEDC’s broader plan for transforming the South-East economy.
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Project Targets 15 Senatorial Zones
The planned scale of the SEDC agricultural programme is one of its major features.
The commission intends to spread the project across 15 senatorial zones.
Each of the five South-East states has three senatorial zones. The plan therefore creates a region-wide agricultural framework.
However, implementation will begin with pilot farms rather than the full 50,000 hectares at once.
The initial farms will cover between 200 and 300 hectares in each senatorial zone.
The commission will then develop the programme further across the region.
The pilot phase could provide an opportunity to assess the farming model before wider expansion.
It could also help officials identify challenges linked to land, infrastructure, equipment and agricultural production.
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SEDC Begins Preparations for September 22 Launch
The commission’s visit to Nomeh Unateze marked another step towards the official launch.
Officials assessed the proposed farmland and held discussions with community representatives.
Contractors are also expected to mobilise as preparations continue.
The September 22 launch will mark the beginning of the pilot phase in Enugu.
The commission plans to use the pilot scheme as part of its wider regional agricultural development programme.
The initiative could bring together farmers, investors, contractors, agricultural workers and other stakeholders.
Its stated objectives include increasing food production and creating employment.
The SEDC also expects the project to contribute to broader efforts aimed at addressing insecurity.
The commission’s leadership has presented the agricultural programme as one part of its wider blueprint for the South-East.
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What the SEDC Project Could Mean for Agriculture
The proposed project could create several activities beyond primary farming.
Mechanised farms require equipment operators, technicians and other workers. They also require transportation, storage, processing and distribution networks.
The inclusion of learning and productivity centres could further expand the skills component.
Farmers could also benefit from improved access to modern agricultural methods.
The commission has not provided a detailed breakdown of the total cost of the entire 50,000-hectare programme in the statement.
However, Okoye said between N4 billion and N5 billion in additional investment could follow the initial investment in the Enugu project.
The scale of the programme means its implementation will likely require coordination between communities, contractors, farmers and government agencies.
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Traditional Leaders Join Community Engagement
Members of the Nomeh Unateze traditional council also attended the interactive session.
Community heads and other stakeholders participated in the discussions with the SEDC delegation.
Their participation formed part of the commission’s engagement before the pilot project begins.
The commission said the engagement was necessary to understand the community and ensure that plans were properly coordinated.
Community cooperation will remain important as work begins on the farmland.
The agricultural programme will also require continued engagement as implementation expands beyond the pilot stage.
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SEDC Eyes Wider Economic Impact
The SEDC 50,000-hectare agro-mechanisation project forms part of the commission’s wider development strategy for the South-East.
Its immediate focus will be agriculture, but officials expect the programme to generate activity around several related sectors.
Food production could increase if the farms reach the planned scale.
At the same time, employment opportunities could emerge through farming, processing, transportation and other agricultural services.
The commission also expects investment to support the programme.
Its planned investment agency could provide another platform for mobilising funds from residents and members of the South-East diaspora.
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SEDC Agro Project Begins in Enugu
The September 22 launch will provide the first major test of the commission’s agricultural blueprint.
Nomeh Unateze will serve as the pilot location for the Enugu component of the programme.
The SEDC plans to expand the model across the 15 senatorial zones of the five South-East states.
The commission says the broader goal is to improve food security, create jobs and support economic development.
Community leaders have pledged their cooperation as preparations continue.
With the pilot phase approaching, attention will now shift to implementation and the development of the proposed farmland.
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The project is expected to become one of the major agricultural initiatives under the SEDC’s regional development blueprint. Its progress will depend on how effectively the commission, host communities, contractors and other stakeholders translate the plan into working farms.
