The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)-assisted Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP) says the ongoing construction of 260 Smart Farm Estates in Enugu State will enhance security in the hinterland while boosting agricultural productivity.
The IFAD-VCDP, funded by the United Nations, the Federal Government, and participating states, aims to address poverty and hunger in rural areas of developing countries.
Dr. Edward Isiwu, IFAD–VCDP State Programme Coordinator, told reporters on Wednesday in Enugu that each farm estate, covering at least 20 hectares per political ward, would open up previously inaccessible areas.
“The ungoverned forest spaces in each of the 260 political wards will be transformed into productive farmlands with increased human and socioeconomic activities,” Isiwu said.
He added that tractors and heavy machinery are already clearing vast forest areas and bushes to prepare the estates. “These farmlands will have local access roads. The days of kidnappers and terrorists using the hinterland as hideouts are over. Opening up these areas will allow Forest Guards, Community Vigilante Groups, and Agro-Rangers of the NSCDC to patrol deep forest regions effectively. With human activities, civilisation, and potential solar lighting, farmers in the hinterlands will be safer.”
Isiwu attributed the excess availability of foodstuffs in the state to investments in Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), including training on climate-smart agriculture and mentorship programs. Farmers have received improved seedlings, agro-inputs, machinery, and access to farmlands over the past four years.
“These investments and direct support to over 10,000 farmers in crop production and value chains are yielding bumper harvests. Farmers have also been trained in proper storage and provided with simple machinery within their cooperative societies to process and store produce, reducing waste,” he said.
He expressed optimism that the completion of all 260 Smart Farm Estates would further guarantee food security in Enugu State.
The state government has earmarked N2 billion in its 2025 budget for the Smart Farm Estates initiative, part of Governor Peter Mbah’s grassroots agriculture revolution tagged: “One Political Ward, One Smart Farm Estate.”
