…As NDBDA Trains 30 Young Graduates on Modern Farming Techniques
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Niger Delta Basin Development Authority (NDBDA), Hon. Prince Ebitimi Amgbare, has declared that commercial farming remains the only sustainable pathway to achieving food security in Nigeria.
Prince Amgbare, who lamented the dominance of subsistence farming in the country, said the practice has been largely responsible for Nigeria’s current food insecurity. He made the remark during the flag-off of a training programme for 30 young graduates on modern farming techniques at Kpong Farms in Khana Local Government Area of Rivers State. The farm, operated under the Songhai model, is one of the agency’s flagship agricultural initiatives.
According to him, the Songhai concept injects modern agricultural practices into the mindset of young people, proving that agriculture can be both a livelihood and a profitable venture.
“If you want to survive, if you want to ensure food security in your country, you must encourage your people to go into commercial farming. This is the way to go, and this is exactly what Mr. President is doing,” Amgbare said.
He emphasized that subsistence farming—focused only on putting food on the table—cannot sustain a nation. Agriculture, he stressed, has evolved beyond the traditional hoe-and-machete approach, and young graduates must be exposed to modern practices that enable them to engage in large-scale farming.
The NDBDA boss explained that the training was designed to reorient participants with the Songhai concept, which emphasizes commercial farming as a means to bridge the gaps in the nation’s food chain.
He disclosed that the graduates, drawn from Rivers, Bayelsa, and Delta States, would be camped at the Kpong facility for the duration of the programme. At the end of the one-week training, they will be provided with starter packs and additional support, including extension services and funding, to establish their own large-scale farms.
> “We will not just train them and leave them. We will give them starter packs, follow them up, support them with extension services, and where necessary provide additional funds. We want to see them become great farmers in the very near future,” Amgbare assured.
The MD/CEO was flanked at the event by the agency’s Executive Directors—Mr. Felix Kurogha (Agricultural Services), Engr. Chuks Ehiro (Engineering), Prof. Nnandi Akani (PR&D), Chief Mary Alagoa (Finance), and Dr. Roland Gbarebe, the Director of Agriculture.
Amgbare also commended the paramount ruler and people of the host community for sustaining a peaceful environment conducive for farming.
“Out of all the farms under our custody, this is the most peaceful. We have enjoyed the support of the paramount ruler and members of this community,” he said.
