The Edo State Government, through the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, has commenced the harvesting of over 500 hectares of maize cultivated at the Udomi Farm in Esan Central Local Government Area of the state.
The massive harvest is part of the state government’s drive to boost agricultural production, ensure food security and create a sustainable supply of raw materials for industries and other agricultural value chains.
Addressing journalists during an inspection of the farm, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Jerry Nwangue, said the development was evidence that the state government had the capacity to produce food in commercial quantities for consumption and industrial use.
Nwangue said the administration of Governor Monday Okpebholo had demonstrated a strong commitment to agriculture, stressing that the governor had consistently encouraged residents, particularly young people, to return to farming.
According to him, the government’s agricultural programme is not limited to the Udomi farm, as several other large-scale agricultural projects are ongoing across the state.
He disclosed that the government has established a massive cassava farm and a rice farm at the Ekpoma settlement, while similar rice and cassava production activities are ongoing in Warake and Iguoriakhi.
“This is way way bigger than what we saw last year, we are expanding . This is just one phase. What we are here today is something that has not been done before”.
The commissioner described Governor Okpebholo’s approach to agriculture as “practical governance,” noting that the administration was focused on taking concrete steps to increase food production and strengthen the state’s agricultural economy.
Also speaking, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Agriculture and Food Security, Golden Ugbodu, described the scale of agricultural activities under the present administration as unprecedented in the state.
Ugbodu expressed optimism that if the government sustains the current pace of investment and production, Edo State would soon attain the capacity to feed its population and contribute significantly to food production across Nigeria.
“This is the brain of Mr. Governor. When he came he said Edo must be food sufficient. We have never seen a massive farm like this before”.
The Programme Manager of the Edo State Agricultural Development Programme, Princewill Igbinedion, said the current maize harvest represented an improvement on the previous year’s agricultural activities.
Igbinedion explained that the over 500 hectares of maize would provide essential raw materials for livestock producers, particularly those involved in poultry and other animal husbandry businesses.
The Director of Agricultural Services in the Edo State Ministry of Agriculture, Ugunbor David, described the cultivation and harvesting process at the Udomi farm as a typical example of mechanised agriculture.
The officials maintained that the Udomi maize project was part of the Okpebholo administration’s broader agricultural intervention aimed at transforming Edo State into a major food-producing hub.
