SEDC to Launch 15 Agromechanisation Projects, Vows to Revive South East's Lost Agro-Industrial Glory

The South East Development Commission (SEDC) says it is set to reignite the agro-industrial revolution that once made the defunct Eastern Region the fastest-growing economy in the world between 1954 and 1964, with plans to roll out 15 agromechanisation projects across the five South East states.

According to the commission, it is embarking on three agromechanisation projects in each of the five states, Enugu, Abia, Imo, Anambra, and Ebonyi, in partnership with the respective state governments, with the rollout beginning in Enugu State.

The commission gave the assurance during a community engagement session held at Nomeh, in Nkanu East Local Government Area of Enugu State, with local leaders and stakeholders on the proposed Nomeh Agromechanisation Project.

In a detailed presentation, the SEDC's Executive Director for Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Rural Development (NRARD), Dr Clifford Ogbede, represented by his Technical Adviser, Dr Chris Uwadoka, said the project would generate numerous direct and indirect job and business opportunities, with the aim of making agriculture attractive to young people once again.

Dr Ogbede explained that the projects would also attract local and foreign investors, offering Ndigbo in the diaspora an opportunity to participate directly in rebuilding the South East's economy. "We could all recall that the Eastern Region economy was at a point rated as the fastest growing economy in the world. That means that we were ahead of many leading economies of today in terms of growth. And at the root of it was agriculture, thanks to the visionary leadership of the former Premier of the region, Dr Michael Okpara," he said, explaining that after thorough brainstorming sessions, the SEDC developed a blueprint to restore the region's lost economic standing, beginning with agriculture.

Commending Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah for what he described as a proactive and elaborate agricultural blueprint for the state, Ogbede disclosed that the agromechanisation project would also be sited at Elugwu Akwu in Oji River Local Government Area, within Enugu West Senatorial District, and at Nkpologwu in Uzo Uwani Local Government Area, within Enugu North Senatorial District, benefiting host communities across the state.

He explained that Governor Mbah had specifically nominated Nomeh to host the pilot programme, describing it as an opportunity for the community to receive advanced agricultural knowledge, specialist support, agro-entrepreneurs, and improved, higher-yielding seeds.

Ogbede also addressed a broader concern about declining youth interest in agriculture, noting that many young Nigerians, particularly in the South East, have grown averse to farming due to its physically demanding nature and historically limited returns. He said the agromechanisation project was designed specifically to attract structured agricultural enterprises capable of employing youths, exposing them to modern techniques, and giving them a genuine pathway to earn a living from agriculture.

Ogbede also moved to dispel speculation that the project was connected to efforts to acquire land for cattle grazing, stating firmly that the initiative was an entirely South East-driven programme designed for the benefit of the region and, by extension, the nation, and had no connection whatsoever to grazing land acquisition.

Speaking at the same engagement, the Enugu State Liaison Officer to the Commission, Chief Edeani Edeani, said both the Federal Government and Governor Mbah were determined to use agriculture as a tool to combat insecurity within the region, arguing that large-scale agromechanisation projects would help ensure that available land is more effectively and gainfully occupied, while creating employment opportunities for young people.

Also speaking at the event, community leader and Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Media, Uche Anichukwu, thanked President Bola Tinubu for establishing the SEDC after what he described as several previous unsuccessful attempts by Ndigbo to secure a similar regional development commission. He noted that the enabling legal framework for the commission was signed into law on July 24, 2024, praising SEDC Managing Director, Mark Okoye, and his team for adopting agriculture as the pivot for the region's economic revival.

The traditional ruler of Nomeh Unateze, HRH Igwe Israel Okonkwo Mbah, represented by the traditional prime minister, Chief Daniel Anikpuma, said the project would help restore the community's pre-civil war prominence as a bustling railway and agricultural hub that once hosted major produce trading companies before the war disrupted economic activity in the area. The town union government of the community, represented by Engr. Uchenna Anyanwu, pledged its support for the project's smooth execution and security, while community leader Mrs Veronica Onwude said the initiative had given residents renewed hope for more gainful employment among women, men, and youths alike.

The Nomeh pilot project forms the opening phase of the SEDC's broader, five-state agromechanisation rollout, which the commission says is intended to serve as a foundation for wider agricultural and economic revival across the South East in the years ahead.