Plateau’s tractor scheme to empower 3,400 youths

Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong yesterday said 3,400 youths across the state will be enlisted and trained for 36 months in the new tractor ownership scheme-a Public Private Partnership between the state government, Hakar Engineering Ltd and the Plateau All Farmers Multipurpose Cooperative Society.

Lalong said at the launching of the scheme and 400 tractors by President MuhammaduBuhari who was on a two-day official visit to the state that 200 interested youths from each from 17 local government areas will be trained in basic farming skills and empowered with tools and finances to embark on farming at the successful completion of the training.

He said each local government was expected to provide 2000 hectares of land for the project adding that farmers are also expected to provide between one to five hectares of farmland each for the community farming project for either maize or rice.

Lalong further explained that each of the 400 tractor cost N14million with an administrative cost of N50,000.00.