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Rewrite this news article and make it more professional. Title: NDDC partners rice farmers on food security. In a bid to ensure food security, the Niger Delta Development Commission has partnered with the Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria. According to a statement by the NDDC Director of Corporate Affairs, Pius Ughakpoteni, the commission’s Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, stated this during a strategic meeting with a delegation of the farmers association, led by its Deputy National President, Mr Victor Korede, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. Ogbuku, who was represented by the NDDC Executive Director of Projects, Sir Victor Antai, said the commission was ready to partner with RIFAN to promote rice cultivation in the region. “With the new drive in NDDC, we are ready to go into partnership with RIFAN. We have two rice mills in Elele-Alimi, Rivers State, and Mbiabet-Ikpe in Akwa Ibom State. We are interested in the smart agriculture approach of the farmers’ association. The NDDC Managing Director is determined to execute legacy projects which will impact positively and directly on the people of the region,” he stated. The NDCC said it had introduced a pet programme known as Holistic Opportunities, Projects and Engagement, which had agriculture as one of its key components, in line with the ‘Renewed Hope Agenda’ of President Bola Tinubu. “The Project HOPE’ initiative seeks to engage youths of the region by creating employment opportunities for them. We have collated the data of the youths in the region and so many of them are interested in agriculture. The NDDC is resolute in the quest to provide food security in the Niger Delta region, and we need to engage the youths in agriculture to achieve this goal,” it was said. According to the NDDC boss, the Niger Delta region is endowed with the right ingredients for rice growing. He stated, “The Niger Delta region, due to the arable wetlands, rainfalls and other ecological factors in its favour, provides the window to plant rice at least, twice within a farming season. Therefore, it is incumbent on us to engage the rice farmers meaningfully as they have shown a strong desire to grow more rice. “We are trying to move away from the oil economy and the sector which can accommodate our youths in large numbers is the agricultural sector. We also want to move from subsistent agriculture to mechanised farming to harness all the opportunities that the Niger Delta region has to offer.” Speaking during the meeting, RIFAN’s South-South Vice President, Emmanuel Anoh, said the association was set to demonstrate that local production of food in sufficient quantity is possible in the country. He explained, “We are here to discuss partnership with the NDDC on how best the region can feed Nigeria and contribute to the President’s agenda of self-sufficiency in food production. Rice is a global staple crop eaten by every home at least, thrice a week.”
NDDC and Rice Farmers Association Partner to Enhance Food Security in the Niger Delta
The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and the Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN) have entered into a strategic partnership to bolster food security efforts in the Niger Delta region. This collaboration was announced during a recent meeting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, between a delegation from RIFAN led by Deputy National President Victor Korede and NDDC representatives.
Expressing the NDDC’s commitment to the initiative, Executive Director of Projects Sir Victor Antai (representing Managing Director Dr. Samuel Ogbuku) emphasized their readiness to partner with RIFAN in promoting regional rice cultivation. He highlighted the NDDC’s existing rice mills in Elele-Alimi, Rivers State, and Mbiabet-Ikpe, Akwa Ibom State, and their keen interest in adopting RIFAN’s smart agriculture approach.
This partnership aligns with the NDDC’s “Holistic Opportunities, Projects and Engagement” (HOPE) program, a key component of President Muhammadu Buhari’s “Renewed Hope Agenda.” The HOPE initiative aims to engage Niger Delta youth through agricultural employment opportunities.
“We have identified a strong interest in agriculture among our youth,” stated the NDDC. “This partnership with RIFAN represents a significant step towards achieving food security in the region, and youth engagement is critical to its success.”
The Niger Delta’s natural resources, including arable wetlands and favorable rainfall patterns, create an ideal environment for rice production, according to the NDDC. “The region has the potential for multiple rice plantings per season,” they noted. “Meaningful collaboration with RIFAN’s experienced rice farmers is essential to capitalize on this opportunity.”
The NDDC representative further emphasized the importance of diversification: “We are transitioning away from dependence on the oil industry. Agriculture offers vast employment potential for our youth. Our goal is to move beyond subsistence farming and embrace mechanization to fully unlock the agricultural potential of the Niger Delta.”
RIFAN’s South-South Vice President, Emmanuel Anoh, echoed the commitment to food self-sufficiency. “We are confident that local food production can meet national needs,” he declared. “Rice is a staple food consumed by most Nigerian households regularly. Through this partnership, we aim to demonstrate the viability of domestic rice production and contribute to the President’s vision of food self-sufficiency.”