Abstract
This study investigated the origins, implementation, and impact of post‑civil war agricultural initiatives in southeastern Nigeria, focusing on the Lower Anambra Irrigation Project. The objective is to examine how post‑1967–1970 policies sought to enhance food security and commercial rice production among war returnees. Methodologically, the research draws on archival materials to trace the establishment of river basin authorities, oral interviews to capture farmers’ perspectives—particularly in light of the project’s current moribund state—and secondary sources to situate the findings within existing literature. The findings reveal that Asika Ukpabi’s diplomatic mission to Japan initiated a process that identified the region’s potential for large‑scale rice cultivation, leading to the creation of the Anambra‑Imo River Basin Authority in 1976 and subsequent collaboration with the Japanese International Cooperation Agency. The project provided new rice varieties, irrigation facilities, mills, and suitable land, which farmers embraced as transformative, despite criticisms of dependency and external influence. The study concludes that while the Lower Anambra Irrigation Project significantly advanced rice production and demonstrated the benefits of international collaboration, its decline underscores the challenges of sustaining large‑scale agricultural initiatives.
Keywords: Japan, International Cooperation, Rice, Nigeria, Food and Agriculture Organization