State Govt Creates 260 Smart Farm Estates in Enugu to Spur Food Production

News in Brief:

-Smart farming estates across Enugu’s political wards will transform remote forests into secure, productive farmlands with improved access roads and surveillance.

-The initiative strengthens food security and rural livelihoods through climate-smart practices, training, and support for over 10,000 farmers.

The Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP), backed by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), has said that the ongoing construction of 260 Smart Farm Estates across Enugu State will help enhance security and stimulate economic activity in rural communities.

Dr Edward Isiwu, IFAD-VCDP State Programme Coordinator, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu. He explained that the initiative would transform ungoverned forest areas across the state’s 260 political wards into productive farmlands, each spanning at least 20 hectares.

Opening Up the Hinterlands for Security and Growth

According to Isiwu, tractors and heavy machinery are currently clearing vast forest areas to make way for the Smart Farm Estates, a move expected to increase accessibility and security in the hinterlands.

“These farmlands will have local access roads built in them,” he said. “The days of kidnappers and terrorists using the hinterland for crime incubation are over.”

He added that the development would enable Forest Guards, Community Vigilante Groups, and Agro-Rangers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to patrol deeper into rural areas. With increased human presence, farming activity, and potential installation of solar lighting systems, Isiwu noted that remote communities would become safer and more connected.

Driving Food Security Through Smart Agriculture

Beyond improving security, Isiwu said the Smart Farm Estates will contribute to food sufficiency and rural prosperity. He attributed the current abundance of foodstuffs in local markets to sustained investment in Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), including training in climate-smart agriculture and mentorship programmes for farmers.

“For about four years, IFAD-VCDP has provided improved seedlings, agro-inputs, machinery, and access to farmlands to over 10,000 farmers across the state,” he stated.

According to Isiwu, these interventions are now yielding bumper harvests across various crop value chains, strengthening food security and livelihoods in Enugu State.