Green River Project

The Green River Project, or GRP, is NAOC's flagship agricultural initiative. It was established in 1987 by NAOC and its Joint Venture partners and has, in over 30 years, carried out a comprehensive Agricultural Extension Service Delivery system (AESD) in the Land and Swamp areas of the Niger Delta. 

In effect, the GRP is a modular rural development program, designed for the development of an integrated food production system that is sustainable and fully respectful of local customs and traditions.  In this sense, it is consistent with the Sustainable Development Goal 1 (Zero Hunger) and 2 (No Poverty).

The GRP aims to increase agricultural productivity in the Niger Delta and to prevent further deterioration of the soil through the use of better farming techniques. It also aims to enhance farmer incomes, and thereby the quality of life of farmers, through the adoption of improved and sustainable farming systems. In these ways, the Project contributes to the improvement of the livelihoods of the households within NAOC’s operational areas. Over the years, the Green River Project has remained a prime source of employment and improvement of standard of living for various communities.

GRP services to the community include:

• the rapid multiplication and distribution of improved seeds and seedlings to local farmers;
• supporting agro-mechanization;
• processing veterinary services/animal production;
• formation of cooperatives.
• micro-credit programme

A revolving micro-credit programme for women and young people

To support the cooperative societies and the local communities, the NAOC-GRP instituted a revolving micro-credit programme to meet the needs of women and youth groups in the communities. This project aims at contributing to the economic growth of the host communities through increased agricultural production. The programme also promotes banking habits, since it focuses on mobilizing savings and linking it to credit. From 2003 to 2015, it has made significant impact in and around the host communities with over 1,500 people directly benefiting, including 98 groups of women, from the scheme, while employment has also been generated. Till date, this revolving scheme has disbursed over 145 Million Naira to 265 cooperative societies located in four States - Bayelsa, Delta, Imo and Rivers. In 2023, the programme has been reactivated and on 16th February 2023, a ceremony dedicated to the microcredit programme was held at the NAOC District Office, Port Harcourt. During the ceremony, 28.6 Million Naira was disbursed to fifty (50) Cooperative Societies.

The GRP Farmers’ Day Celebration is an annual event organized by NAOC and its partners in JV to celebrate the accomplishments reached by local farmers, with the support of the GRP, during the last planting season and to strengthen the relationships between them and the Company. It brings together individual farmers, cooperative societies, traditional rulers and representatives of local governments who make up the "GRP family" to jointly celebrate the variety of local products yielded by the Niger Delta.  

The exhibition stands spread across the venue also offer an opportunity for networking and exchanging of ideas on food security and diversification. During the event, many farmers who over the years have benefited from the GRP showcase their work and the impact of the Project on their lives and livelihood. In this way, for over 30 years now, the Famers’ Day Celebration has served both as a platform to showcase the yearly farming products, produces and services of its partners, as well as an opportunity for publicly rewarding outstanding farmers and cooperative societies for their efforts in sustainable farming.