South East Development Commission agricultural projects

The South East Development Commission (SEDC) has announced a series of agromechanisation projects intended to revitalize the agricultural economy across Enugu, Abia, Imo, Anambra, and Ebonyi states in Nigeria.

Initially, the commission planned to launch 15 projects across the region's senatorial zones to create jobs and attract investment. This initiative was designed to encourage youth participation and involve the Igbo diaspora in regional reconstruction.

Subsequent details revealed a broader 50,000-hectare agro-mechanisation project aimed at combating food insecurity, unemployment, and regional insecurity. The pilot scheme is scheduled to begin on September 22 in the Nomeh Unateze community of Enugu State. The project seeks to transition farmers from subsistence manual labour to commercial production models by deploying modern machinery, with an initial phase targeting the development of 200 to 300 hectares per senatorial zone.

On September 23, the SEDC officially launched a 200-hectare integrated model farm in Nomeh Unateze, within the Nkanu East Local Government Area of Enugu State. Operating as part of the South East Agro-Development Programme, this regional pilot is designed for replication across the five South East states.

In partnership with the Enugu State Government, the facility will integrate dairy, poultry, fisheries, greenhouse cultivation, fodder production, and agro-processing. The project aims to combine mechanisation and renewable energy with practical training, utilizing an out-grower programme to connect smallholder farmers to technical support, inputs, and markets. Once fully operational, the project is projected to generate more than 1,000 direct jobs and support federal objectives for food security and economic diversification.