The South East Development Commission (SEDC) and the Enugu State Government have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to commence the implementation of the South East Agro Development Programme aimed at boosting agricultural productivity, attracting private investment, and strengthening food security in the region.
The agreement was signed on Thursday in Enugu after nearly nine months of technical planning, stakeholder engagement, field assessments, and intergovernmental collaboration between both parties.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, the Executive Director, Projects, SEDC, Hon. Toby Okechukwu, who represented the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Commission, Mr. Mark Okoye, described the agreement as a major milestone in translating regional development priorities into concrete action.
He said the success of the initiative would be measured by its impact on communities through increased investments, job creation, and economic empowerment.
“The true measure of our success will not be today’s signatures or announcements, but the land prepared, investments attracted, jobs created, communities empowered, and the impact felt by ordinary people,” he said.
The Secretary to the Enugu State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, said the partnership aligns with Governor Peter Mbah’s vision of promoting private sector-led growth, economic diversification, and inclusive development.
According to him, the state government remains committed to providing the policy, institutional, and regulatory support needed for the successful implementation of the programme while ensuring that host communities benefit from the initiative.
The South East Agro Development Programme is designed to activate underutilised agricultural assets and position agriculture as a catalyst for industrialisation and long-term economic development across the region.
The programme seeks to facilitate land activation, strengthen agricultural value chains, integrate host communities, promote environmental sustainability, and attract private sector investment.
SEDC said the initiative is founded on extensive technical work carried out jointly with the Enugu State Ministry of Agriculture, including physical mapping, field verification, and suitability assessments of agricultural land across the state.
The Commission noted that development partners, financial institutions, research institutions, universities, colleges of agriculture, host communities, and the private sector would play active roles in the programme’s implementation.
It added that financial institutions, including the Bank of Industry, are expected to support financing pathways for qualified investors and project developers.
SEDC also said youth participation would be central to the initiative through the creation of employment and entrepreneurship opportunities in production, processing, logistics, aggregation, and agricultural services.
The Commission disclosed that following the Enugu agreement, it would proceed with a similar partnership with the Abia State Government, while technical mapping activities are already underway in Ebonyi State.
According to SEDC, the programme will eventually be expanded to all five South-East states to create an integrated regional agro-industrial ecosystem capable of driving increased productivity, regional trade, and shared prosperity.
Established under the South East Development Commission Act, 2024, SEDC is mandated to drive the reconstruction, rehabilitation, integration, and sustainable economic development of the South-East region.
