News in brief:
– NDDC provided ₦60 million in support to 300 rice farmers, offering training and ₦200,000 starter packs each.
– The initiative aims to boost rice production, enhance food security, and create job opportunities in the Niger Delta.
The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has disbursed ₦60 million to 300 rice farmers across the Niger Delta to enhance rice production. Each beneficiary received a starter pack worth ₦200,000 as part of the commission’s agricultural empowerment initiative.
The Managing Director of NDDC, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, revealed this in a statement released on Saturday in Port Harcourt by the Director of Corporate Affairs, Mrs Seledi Thompson-Wakama. The empowerment packages were distributed during the closing ceremony of the second batch of an NDDC-sponsored training program for rice farmers.
Ogbuku, represented by the commission’s Director of Agriculture and Fisheries, Dr Winifred Madume, emphasised its commitment to transforming agriculture in the region.
“The scheme is designed to help farmers improve rice production, establish cooperatives, and build partnerships with relevant agencies and financial institutions,” he said.
He also highlighted NDDC’s collaboration with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) to provide apprenticeship training for farmers in the Niger Delta.
Training covers theory and practical skills
The NDDC’s Deputy Director of Agriculture and Fisheries, Mr Wale Oretan, explained that 300 farmers from Abia and other states in the region participated in the training. The programme covered theoretical and practical aspects of rice farming, processing, and entrepreneurship.
“Each participant received a starter pack worth ₦200,000 along with a certificate of completion,” Oretan said, urging beneficiaries to apply their newfound skills to boost rice production.
The President of the Abia Rice Farmers Association, Mrs Uzoma Ochulo, thanked the NDDC on behalf of the beneficiaries, stating that they would share their knowledge with other farmers to further increase rice production in the Niger Delta. This initiative aligns with the NDDC’s broader goal of enhancing food security, creating jobs, and reducing poverty in the region.
