From Saka Bolaji, Minna
In an effort to tackle unemployment in Niger state, the state government is to train and empower youth and women in the state under it’s Agri-prenuer Empowerment Programme.
Three hundred youth and women across the state are to benefit in the scheme this year.
The project is a joint effort of the state and federal governments under the National FADAMA “Support for Youth and Women Programme”.
The state governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello kick-started the scheme in Kontagora at the weekend with the public presentation of starter-pack seed to 66 youth who were trained in agricultural enterprise.
Under the arrangement, youth and women are targeted to be given intensive training in agricultural enterprise of their choice with emphasis on crop farming especially in Rice and Sorghum.
Presenting the cheque of N100,000 for each of the 66 beneficiaries under the first phase of the scheme, the governor urged them to ensure judicious use of the package as well as the skills acquired during the training for the development of agricultural sector and betterment of the society.
Represented by Commissioner for Agriculture, Alhaji Aliyu Abdullahi, the governor said a comprehensive development programme was being packaged for implementation to tackle unemployment in the state especially among youth and women in fulfilment of his cardinal priority programme.
His words: “I am informed that this programme through FADAMA Project intervention intended to empower 300 youths to become Agri-prenuer, in addition to 10,000 direct beneficiary farmers under the Third National FADAMA Development Programme Additional Financing.
“I am highly passionate about the issue of unemployment and our government is putting machinery on ground particularly under the agricultural sector to address the subject matter in earnest” the governor stated.
He commended the initiative of the organisers for their concerned for youth and women empowerment and called on other non- governmental organisations (NGOs) and community based Organisations to partner with the state in agricultural regeneration and community empowerment.
National FADAMA Project Coordinator, Mr. Tayo Adewumi, commended Niger State FADAMA office for being a pacesetter in the implementation of the 5th component of the programme, ‘Support for Youth and Women’.
Represented by Dr. Gbenga Arokoyo, the National Coordinator also singled out the state as the first to start implementation of FADAMA III Additional Financing Programme and for establishing Agricultural Equipment Hiring Centre
The state FADAMA Project Coordinator, Engineer Aliyu Usman Kutigi, said the training, which is in phases, is being conducted in collaboration with Bako Ranch Limited Kontagora.
He said that another set of 100 women and youth have been selected for similar training next month.
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