As part of Federal Government efforts to diversify the nation’s economy away from over dependence on oil, the Benin Owena River Basin Development Authority (BORBDA) has established four Integrated Farm Schemes in Edo State.
The farms modeled after the Songhai Integrated farm in Porto Novo, Benin Republic were established in Obayantor, Benin City, Auchi in Etsako West Local Government, Okpe and Uneme N’Ekhua in Akoko-Edo local Government Area.
The four farms were virtually commissioned by Suleiman Adamu, Minister of Water Resources at the weekend in Benin City.
Speaking at the ceremony, Saliu Ahmed, the Managing Director of the BORBDA, said the integrated farms were established as part of efforts to revamp the agriculture sector and provide employment opportunities for unemployed youths, women and people that would be lifted out of poverty.
According to him, the BORBDA Integrated Farm is modeled after the Songhai Integrated farm in Porto Novo, Benin Republic where crops and animals like cucumber, pawpaw, okra, sweet corn, tomatoes, pepper, fish, rabbit, chicken, pig, snail, grasscutter among others are raised in the farms.
Ahmed said the farms were conceived in 2017 and they would serve as production, processing, service rendering and research based centres.
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The three farms in Auchi, Okpe and Uneme Nekhua are within 30km radius of one another and together constitute a hub for effective production, processing and training.
“On 50 hectares of the 100 hectares of land each in Okpe and Uneme Nekhua, we planned to aggregate 50 youth farmers in each location with support of mechanization and inputs to farm cassava and maize respectively.
“We also sourced and secured off-takers who would buy up their harvest when due. It is also planned that these farmers who shall be supported and continually trained shall form the nucleus to eventually take over the running and operations of the integrated farms, thus guaranteeing the sustainability of the farms.
“It is noteworthy that whereas the farmers aggregation plans took off successfully in Okpe for cassava, that in Uneme Nekhua for the growing of maize suffered communal challenges that made it impossible to take-off as planned this year”, he said.
He added that a similar project has also started in Ikole in Ekiti State and hopes to spread to Ondo State next year.
“The amazing successes the Integrated Farm has recorded since inception suggests that it has the potential of spreading across the country in the nearest future”, he added.
On his part, Aliru Momoh, the Otaru of Auchi ,who however, inaugurated the BORBDA area office in Auchi, said it would serve as a catalyst to the development of the community and the entire Edo North senatorial district.
