The Anambra State Government is intensifying efforts to promote industrialised agriculture as part of plans to improve food sufficiency, reduce post-harvest losses, and expand agricultural exports.
The Commissioner for Agriculture, Ben Odoemena, disclosed this during the inauguration of Ideal Agro Allied Produce Limited in Awka.
The tuber crop processing company, located in Akwaeze, Anaocha Local Government Area, was established by industrialist Ikenna Okafor.
Odoemena said the administration of Governor Chukwuma Soludo is encouraging farmers to move away from subsistence farming and embrace commercial and industrial-scale agriculture.
According to him, the establishment of the processing facility will help eliminate post-harvest losses while creating export opportunities for farmers across the state.
“With the establishment of a tuber crop processing plant, there will no longer be fear of unsold produce rotting away because it can now be processed and exported,” he said.
The commissioner described the facility as an important step toward value addition in agriculture and reducing waste in the food supply chain.
“I am happy that my first assignment after being sworn in is the inauguration of an agro-processing plant that will ensure zero wastage in tuber crops. What we have here reflects the secret of agriculture in developed economies. In Anambra, we want to support industries like this because Soludo’s administration has plans to support industrialised farming,” Mr Odoemena said.
He added that the state government is now focused on agriculture beyond food consumption, with growing emphasis on processing and exports as tools for wealth creation and economic growth.
According to him, the government will continue supporting agro-processing businesses capable of driving agricultural transformation and strengthening local value chains.
Earlier, Okafor said food security remains central to national development and economic stability.
He disclosed that the company recently expanded into large-scale yam cultivation on a 200-plot farmland located in Ufuma, Orumba North Local Government Area, adding that the business had already started generating foreign exchange earnings.
According to him, the processing plant was established to address the challenge of farm produce wastage. “The company will process unsold yams, potatoes, cassava, and other tuber crops for farmers, package them for export, and remit proceeds to the farmers after deducting processing and handling charges. We have secured approvals from food processing agencies in America, Europe, and the United Kingdom, as well as from the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control in Nigeria.”
“We will process farmers’ produce and ensure that no part is wasted. We also want to use this initiative to create employment opportunities and help farmers export their produce,” he said.
The initiative is expected to strengthen agricultural value addition in Anambra, improve market access for farmers, and support the state’s growing focus on agro-industrial development.
