Bayelsa State government has trained over 200 youths on integrated farming skills to encourage young people’s participation in agriculture and to boost food production in the state.
Five thousand youths are targeted to benefit from the training in farming and to enjoy loan to set up their own farms after the training.
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Governor Douye Diri, while speaking during the graduation of 200 trainees in integrated farming at the CSS Global Integrated Farms in Nasarawa State, assured of his administration’s commitment to building the capacity of youths of the state in order to make them self-reliant.
The beneficiaries, who were sponsored by the state government, underwent a two-week intensive training in poultry production, fish farming, plantain/cassava farming, rice/maize farming, feed-mill processing, greenhouse and hydroponics as well as in ruminant fattening, agricultural business and financing, among others.
The governor’s spokesman, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, in a statement quoted Diri as saying that the beneficiaries of the training will receive soft loans from the state government to commence small-scale farming businesses.
The governor described agriculture as a path to diversifying the state’s economy from its dependence on oil revenue.
Bayelsa State Commissioner for Agriculture, Chief David Alagoa, lauded Governor Diri for making the training a reality, saying he has positioned Bayelsans to do extraordinary things.
While tasking beneficiaries to put the knowledge acquired into profitable use, Alagoa stated that this was the first of other batches to follow.
Also, the chairman of CSS Group, Prof Okpara, thanked the state government for the partnership with his farm, describing Governor Diri as a man of vision.
Responding on behalf of the beneficiaries, Ombu Godstime, Blessing Ilakiri and Ruth Ayebatari Forcebray thanked the governor for the training, saying it has given them the opportunity to become self-reliant and even potential employers of labour.
