US-China Trade War: FG Targets Soybean Shortfall With Kwara Mega Farm

The Federal Government says Nigeria is positioning to tap into the global soybean market amid the United States-China trade tensions. It said a new mega farm estate in Kwara State will boost production for both export and local consumption. Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of the National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA), Engr Cornelius […]

The Federal Government says Nigeria is positioning to tap into the global soybean market amid the United States-China trade tensions.

It said a new mega farm estate in Kwara State will boost production for both export and local consumption.

Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of the National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA), Engr Cornelius Oluwasegun Adebayo, disclosed this in Ora, Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State.

He said the project, when completed, will play a strategic role in closing supply gaps in the global soybean market and serve as a pilot for nationwide expansion, positioning Nigeria more competitively in global agricultural trade.

“One of the biggest commodities that has caused trade imbalance and trade war between the United States and China is soybean.

“And this land that we are standing on in Ora is going to fill that gap that a lot of nations will not be able to fill, producing more soybeans for the global market and for our own consumption within Nigeria”, Adebayo said while speaking with journalists after a stakeholders engagement programme.

The project, approved by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is expected to cover about 5,000 hectares, with each farmer allocated five hectares under a cluster farming model designed to drive mechanisation and efficiency.

Adebayo said the initiative would directly engage about 5,000 farmers, with thousands more expected to benefit through logistics, processing and trading activities.

“We are talking about affecting about 10,000 lives here. The best way to reach the grassroots is through agriculture, and that is why the government is investing heavily in this sector,” he said.

He stated that the estate would be supported with tractors and other mechanised inputs, noting that similar projects are underway in Ekiti, Bauchi and Plateau states, while more states are joining.

On security, Adebayo said the farm estate model is designed to address farmers’ vulnerability by bringing them into protected clusters.

“When farmers are scattered, it is difficult to protect them. But when they are together, it becomes easier to deploy security and even technology like drones to monitor activities,” he said.

He added that “Food security is national security.”

Addressing concerns about abandoned government projects, he said the initiative prioritises community ownership and private sector participation to ensure sustainability.

“When a project becomes the baby of the community, it does not fail,” he said, adding that an anchor firm, Arizikin Noma, has been engaged to organise farmers, finance inputs and guarantee off take.

“Agriculture is serious business, not charity. The private sector will finance inputs, buy back outputs and recover costs transparently,” he added.

He noted that details of the project cost would be disclosed after completion of the first phase covering 1,000 hectares.

Chairman of Ifelodun Local Government Area, Abdulrasheed Yusuf, described the initiative as a response to insecurity and underutilised land.

“One of the causes of insecurity is ungoverned spaces. If we take ownership of our land and put it to productive use, insecurity will reduce,” he said.

He urged residents and investors to take advantage of the opportunity, assuring that land is available for agricultural development.

President of Ora Development Council, Fatai Olaitan Odesile, said the community and surrounding villages are committed to ensuring the success of the project.

“Our committee is happy to have this project. And not just Ora town, we have about 22 villages that surround Ora. This will be a model for other states to copy,” he said.

The Olora of Ora Kingdom, Oba Riliwan Olawale Aremu, also expressed appreciation to the President Tinubu-led Federal Government, describing the project as a major boost for the area.

“This is not just for Ora but for the entire Kwara State,” the monarch said.