The GREAT Project

50,000 acres. A platform for agricultural transformation.

GREAT stands for Gbàlefà Renewed Hope Estate for Agribusiness Transformation. It is a phased commercial agribusiness estate at Iganna, Oyo State, beginning with a 5,000 acre cassava production and processing programme.

Phase I

5,000 acres of commercial cassava production.

Phase I is designed to establish the operating and financial foundation for the wider estate. Participating farmers operate as Production Partners within coordinated clusters while Gbàlefà Farms leads estate coordination, aggregation and principal offtake.

DevelopLand clearing, preparation and access roads.

ProduceImproved planting materials, inputs and mechanised cultivation.

AggregateCoordinated harvesting, weighing and offtake.

ProcessValue addition linked to credible market demand.

Development path

Phased against performance and investment.

PHASE 01

Cassava Platform

5,000 acres, Production Partners, access roads, mechanisation, aggregation and processing.

PHASE 02

Expansion & Diversification

Additional acreage and commercially justified annual crops, perennial crops, livestock and aquaculture.

PHASE 03

Integrated Agro Industrial Estate

Expanded processing, warehousing, storage, logistics, energy, water systems and commercial infrastructure.

Production Partnership Model.

GREAT is structured as a commercially coordinated production system rather than a conventional land allocation scheme. Gbàlefà Farms retains estate control, organises production areas, coordinates participating farmers and communities, aggregates output and serves as principal offtaker. Production Partners cultivate defined areas under contractual arrangements that preserve the long-term ownership and commercial integrity of the estate.

Estate Control

Land remains under Gbàlefà ownership and coordinated estate management. Production rights do not become permanent proprietary interests in the underlying land.

Farmer Returns

Participating farmers earn from verified production. Agreed production expenses, inputs and operational costs can be recovered transparently from harvest proceeds before settlement.

Offtake

Gbàlefà Farms coordinates aggregation and offtake, reducing fragmented market risk and linking production to processing and commercial buyers.

Mechanisation

Land preparation, planting, crop maintenance and harvesting are progressively mechanised to raise productivity and reduce avoidable production losses.

Inputs

Improved cassava stems and fertiliser can be sourced through credible technical and commercial suppliers, with cost recovery built into production accounting where applicable.

Processing

Processing capacity is developed in line with confirmed feedstock, product strategy and market demand so value addition expands alongside production.

Expected role of NALDA.

NALDA's proposed role is catalytic and commercially enabling. Immediate priorities include land clearing, access roads across the initial 5,000 acres, support for improved planting materials and fertiliser, and facilitation of financing and institutional participation required for a viable cassava processing platform.

Land Development

Clearing and preparation of the initial production area and development of the internal road network required for machinery, inputs and harvest evacuation.

Production Inputs

Support access to improved cassava varieties and fertiliser through IITA and other qualified suppliers, with an agreed commercial cost-recovery mechanism where applicable.

Processing Finance

Facilitate access to public and private financing for processing capacity appropriately sized to the Phase I production base and final product strategy.

Catalytic Rural Development

Use NALDA's convening capacity to engage relevant federal institutions in power, health, education, youth, women and rural development around the project location.

Technical Coordination

Support technical assessment, mapping and implementation coordination as the partnership advances into land preparation and production.

Commercial Sustainability

Structure participation around measurable production, cost recovery and stakeholder value rather than grant dependency alone.