The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), in a bid to ensure food security, has partnered with the Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria to promote rice cultivation in the region.
Dr Samuel Ogbuku, the commissions Managing Director, made the disclosure during a strategic meeting with a delegation of the farmers association, led by its Deputy National President, Mr. Victor Korede, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. This was contained in a statement by the NDDC Director of Corporate Affairs, Pius Ughakpoteni. Ogbuku, who was represented by the NDDC Executive Director of Projects, Sir Victor Antai, said the commission was ready to partner with RIFAN to promote rice cultivation in the region.
According to the NDDC boss, the Niger Delta region is endowed with the right ingredients for rice growing.
With the new drive in NDDC, we are ready to go into partnership with RIFAN. We have two rice mills in Elele- Alimi, Rivers State, and Mbiabet-Ikpe in Akwa Ibom State. We are interested in the smart agriculture approach of the farmers association. The NDDC Managing Director is determined to execute legacy projects which will impact positively and directly on the people of the region, he stated.
We have collated the data of the youths in the region and so many of them are interested in agriculture.
The NDDC is resolute in the quest to provide food security in the Niger Delta region, and we need to engage the youths in agriculture to achieve this goal,
The Niger Delta region, due to the arable wetlands, rainfalls and other ecological factors in its favour, provides the window to plant rice at least, twice within a farming season. Therefore, it is incumbent on us to engage the rice farmers meaningfully as they have shown a strong desire to grow more rice.
