As part of the Federal Government’s agricultural transformation policy, the Benin-Owena River Basin Development Authority (BORBDA) has launched two integrated farm projects in Okpe and Uneme Nekhua in Akoko Edo Local Government Area of Edo State.
Speaking during the launch, the managing director of the BORBDA, Mr Saliu Ahmed, said the farms were to revamp agricultural sector and ensure national food security.
According to him, the two communities are expended to cultivate 100 hectares of farm each.
He said integrated farm projects had sales point, agro-forestry, market garden, feed mill, cassava and fruit juice processing units, abattoir, biogas facility, a dormitory among others
“The farm projects would serve as a research and experimental hub for local farmers to learn new and productive methods of doing farm businesses,’’ he said.
He explained that the farms had the potentials to significantly improve the local production of cassava and several other crops, animal feed, poultry, pig, fish production in an integrated manner that ensures that nothing is wasted.
He said to make the farms work, there would be sponsorship of selected youths of the communities for training in the Songhai Farm in Porto Novo, Benin Republic.
Ahmed, who said the project was currently at the clearing stage, advocated total community ownership and participation of the project.
The facilitator of the project, Rep PeterAkpatason (APC-Edo), Akoko Edo federal constituency, said the project was part of the vision of the Federal Government to use agriculture for job creation.
The integrated farm projects, modelled after the Songhai Farm in Benin Republic, consist of production, processing, research enterprises, integrated crops, fisheries, animal husbandry and marketing.
