Nigeria, July 19 -- Conversations about the Niger Delta often revolve around what lies beneath the soil rather than what grows from it. It is true that the Niger Delta has powered Nigeria's economy since crude oil was discovered in commercial quantities in 1956 at Oloibiri, Bayelsa State.

Today, the narrative is changing as efforts are underway to reposition agriculture to help secure Nigeria's future prosperity. The plan is to build an agricultural economy that rewards investment, drives industrial growth and positions the Niger Delta as one of Nigeria's leading destinations for agribusiness.

The Niger Delta possesses the natural and economic fundamentals that investors seek. The region is endowed with fertile land, abundant freshwater...