NALDA to establish integrated farm estate in Imo

The National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA) is set to establish an integrated farm estate in Imo to complement the state government effort in eradicating poverty.

The Executive Secretary (ES) of the authority, Mr Paul Ikonne, made this known in a statement issued on Friday in Abuja.

Ikonne said that the farm estate would be established on a 400 hectare land in Umuneke and Umukabia communities of Ngor Okpalla Local Government Area of the state.

He said the farm estate would comprise different agricultural activities including fish farm, poultry, rabbit farm, maize farm, commodity market, residential areas and schools.

Ikonne gave the hint of the integrated farm estate during an interactive session with the traditional leaders and youth of both communities.

He assured the people of improved ways of practising agriculture, which in turn would boost their income.

The ES also addressed some issues and concerns raised by the indigenes as it relates to land, open grazing and availability of off-takers.

He said the government would ensure that all the infrastructures, needed to make the farm estate an agricultural hub to reckon with, would be put in place.

The NALDA boss said the farm would engage more than one thousand youths in the community at the initial stage.

He added that more youths would be engaged with time.

“The Imo Integrated Farm Estate will officially be commissioned in the state in August 2021,’’ Ikonne said.

The statement also quoted the traditional ruler of the Umukabia community, Eze Emmanuel Eke as wishing that the project would be sustained and hopes it grows into agro-industries and many other things for the benefit of the communities.

One of the indigenes of the community shortlisted and trained to benefit from the project, Victoria Nwachukwu, said the project would alleviate poverty in her community, particularly, amongst the women.

She commended President Muhammadu Buhari and NALDA for establishing the farm estate in her community “to empower our youths and women’’.

With the project, she expressed confidence that “poverty will be eradicated from this area’’.