Anambra aims to increase exports and farmer income through agriculture

The Anambra State Government says it is intensifying efforts to transform agriculture into an industrial and export-driven sector, with the aim of helping farmers earn foreign exchange from their produce.

The Commissioner for Agriculture, Ben Odoemena, disclosed this on Wednesday during the inauguration of Ideal Agro Allied Produce Limited, a tuber crop processing facility located in Akwaeze, Anaocha Local Government Area.

He explained that the administration of Governor Chukwuma Soludo is shifting focus from subsistence farming to large-scale commercial agriculture supported by processing and export systems.

According to him, the establishment of agro-processing plants will help reduce post-harvest losses and ensure that farm produce is processed instead of going to waste due to a lack of buyers.

“We will encourage farmers to farm on a commercial scale, and this will not only guarantee food sufficiency but also earn farmers foreign exchange,” he said.

Odoemena added that the government is backing industries that can strengthen value addition in agriculture, noting that such initiatives align with global best practices in modern farming economies.

The founder of Ideal Agro Allied Produce Limited, Ikenna Okafor, said the company has already begun large-scale yam cultivation and is working with international food agencies across the United States, Europe and the United Kingdom, alongside Nigeria’s NAFDAC approval, to process and export tuber crops.

He explained that the facility is designed to eliminate wastage by ensuring that yams, cassava, potatoes and other crops are processed for both local use and international markets.

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Okafor also said the project would create jobs and expand export opportunities for farmers across the state.

Stakeholders who attended the inauguration inspected the processing facility, with government officials and farmers’ groups describing the initiative as a major step toward strengthening Anambra’s agricultural value chain.

The Soludo administration has continued to position agriculture and industrialisation as key drivers of its economic strategy, particularly in boosting exports and improving rural incomes.

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