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Chibuzor Emejor
The National Agricultural Land Development Authority(NALDA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding(MoU) with
Arzikin Noma Nigeria Limited, for the management of the Renewed Hope Mega Farm in Ora, Kwara State.
The MoU was signed in Abuja between the Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer of NALDA, Engr. Cornelius Adebayo and Managing Director of Arzikin Noma Nigeria Limited, Mr. Michael Adeshola.
The agreement is part of the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which aims to boost food production by involving private agribusinesses in financing and managing projects while NALDA provides infrastructure like land preparation and basic amenities.
Speaking before the signing of the MoU, Adebayo explained that the Mega Farm comprises major clusters with a minimum of 5,000 hectares, land cleared and prepared by NALDA, with facilities such as administrative block, warehousing, police station and recreational facilities designed to make farming attractive to the youths as well as remove drudgery associated with farming.
He said the Authority is at the forefront of working assiduously to achieve food security in Nigeria.
On the MoU, he explained that NALDA would provide infrastructure in the Mega Farm, while Arzikin Noma would provide input financial support to the farmers who would farm on the Mega Farm.
According to him, the clusters will be run and managed by Arzikin Noma, as it would afford the Authority the opportunity to monitor and evaluate the Farm to ensure that everything confirms to good agricultural practices.
He pointed out that Mega Farm would create middle class that Nigeria has lacked over the years, as well as create jobs and boost Nigeria’s economy.
According to him, on the average each farmer will have an average of 5 hectares in the Mega Farm, adding that it would be driven through agricultural mechanisation.
After harvest, he explained that deductions would be made from the farmers based on the services provided to them by the Arzikin Noma, who manages the Mega Farm for sustainability.
Providing more insights about the MoU, Engr. Olusegun Owolabi, Special Adviser(Technical) to the Executive Secretary of NALDA, said the essence of the partnership was to explore the professional strength of the organisation to ensure sustainability of the Mega Farm project.
He stated that Arzikin Noma would be involved in input financing, aggregation and management services in the Farm.
He reiterated that NALDA professionals would provide supervisory role in the activities of the organisation, to ensure that the objectives for setting up the Farm are realised.
Also speaking,Managing Director of Arzikin Noma Nigeria Limited, Mr.Michael Adeshola, expressed joy at the partnership.
Adeshola said his organisation was deeply committed to supporting smallholder farmers to boost food production in Nigeria.
He underscored the need for Nigeria to have a paradigm shift from subsistence farming to large-scale farming to create jobs and generate wealth for national development.
He assured that with the partnership with NALDA, that Nigeria is closer to achieving food security, adding that food system in Nigeria would be transformed.
He stated that the organisation would provide farmers with climate-smart agriculture, input financing, technology and extension services to drive agriculture in the mega farm.
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