OGUN State Government has doled out N2.5million and land to 25 indigenes of the state, who graduated from the Enterprise for Youth in Agriculture (EIYA) programme, packaged by Soiless Farm Lab, in partnership with Mastercard Foundation, to boost their agricultural endeavours.
Speaking during the presentation and graduation ceremony at Awowo, in Ewekoro Local Government Area of the state, Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Hon Bolu Owotomo, said the gesture was to enable the graduands adopt, adapt and implement knowledge acquired to boost the agricultural sector.
Hon. Owotomo explained that the training was a further assurance that the aging farming population could effectively and adequately be replaced with young farmers with modern skills, to enhance the agricultural value chain.
Represented by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Mr. Samuel Adeogun, the Commissioner emphasised that harnessing the potential and innovation of Nigeria young farmers and entrepreneurs in agriculture would not only revitalise the sector, but also make it sustainable and technologically advanced.
He assured that the state government would not relent in transforming the sector by encouraging more youths to engage in agriculture, as well as creating an enabling environment for the sector to thrive through its various intervention programmes.
The team lead, Soiless Farm Lab, Farmer Samson Ogbole, noted that the initiative was to attract young people into agriculture by exposing them to modern training that would enable them excel.
“We taught them how to build a green house from scratch; they know basic bricklaying, plumbing, electrical works, farm management, financial management, budgeting and human management,” he said.
Some of the participants sponsored by the state government, Olayinka Olaoluwa, Adebimpe Odebiyi and Taiwo Osilesi, commended the state government for the programme, saying they had immensely benefited from the training and passionate to deploy what they had learnt for the benefit of the state.
They appreciated the state government for the land and cash gift, promising to utilise them towards ensuring food security.
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