The National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA) has announced plans to transform degraded forest reserves across Nigeria into large scale agricultural estates as part of efforts to improve food production, strengthen food security, and create more opportunities for farmers. The initiative will be carried out in partnership with state governments and is expected to turn abandoned and underused forest lands into productive farming communities. According to the agency, the programme will also help reclaim areas that have become hideouts for criminal activities while expanding the country’s agricultural land.
Speaking during a media briefing in Abuja, NALDA Executive Secretary, Cornelius Adebayo, said the authority is empowered by the NALDA Act to develop unused land for agricultural purposes. He explained that restoring degraded forest reserves would serve multiple purposes, including increasing food production, creating jobs, and improving security in rural communities.
Adebayo said the authority is already working with some state governments to identify suitable locations for the project. One of the early partnerships involves Kwara State, where depleted forest reserves will be prepared for commercial agriculture, including cashew cultivation. Beyond expanding farmland, NALDA also unveiled the Green Hope Project, an initiative designed to increase vegetable production throughout the year while supporting women involved in agriculture.
The programme is expected to benefit about 4,000 Nigerians during its first phase, with women making up the majority of the beneficiaries. The agency believes empowering women farmers will strengthen household incomes and improve food availability across communities. Explaining how the project will operate, Adebayo said, “The Greenhouse Project is not solely green. It’s called the Green Hope Project. It is three layered. You have the open field, greenhouses, normal regular greenhouses, and you have the high tech, temperature controlled, high tech greenhouses.”
The project combines open field farming with conventional and advanced greenhouse systems to ensure vegetables can be produced throughout the year regardless of changing weather conditions. This approach is expected to reduce seasonal shortages, increase productivity, and improve farmers’ earnings.
NALDA also believes the programme will help reduce post harvest losses by encouraging production closer to consumers and improving access to modern farming methods. According to the authority, developing agricultural estates on degraded land will encourage private sector investment, generate employment, and contribute to Nigeria’s long term food security goals. The agency noted that converting abandoned lands into productive farms aligns with the Federal Government’s efforts to increase local food production, reduce dependence on food imports, and stimulate rural economic development.
NALDA said it remains committed to working with state governments, farmers, and private investors to ensure the success of the initiative. It added that expanding access to productive farmland, empowering women, and promoting modern farming techniques would play an important role in improving agricultural output and supporting sustainable economic growth across the country.
