FG flags off 8th graduate youth farmers scheme

In line with this present administration’s effort to increase food production, improve standard of living through the provision of irrigation infrastructure and provide enabling environment for job creation for youths, the Federal Government has flagged off its 8th Graduates Farmers Youth Empowerment Scheme in Illah/Ebu community of Delta State.
The Illah/Ebu Centre Pivot Irrigation system (CIPS) was also commissioned by the Minister of Water Resources, Engr.  Suleiman Adamu, recently.

The Minister of Water Resources, Engr. Suleiman Adamu, said “the Scheme will be a continuous one engaging carefully selected participants in batches of fifty, who will be trained in dairy farming, animal husbandry, food processing and other sustainable agricultural activities”.

The Minister added that the beneficiaries will subsequently be empowered through other Government intervention programmes to establish their own agricultural ventures and also as trainers in their own right, thereby creating a multiplier effect to further sustain the objectives of the programme. This will have attendant positive impact on the economy through improved food production and employment generation.

Earlier in his welcome address, the Managing Director of Benin – Owena River Basin Development Authority (BORBDA), Engr. Saliu Ahmed said that the Illah/Ebu Irrigation Project is one of the priority projects of BORBDA, with a capacity of over 3,000Ha of irrigable land out of which 550Ha have so far been made available by the Illah and Ebu Communities. The twin communities are noted for the production of rice, water melon and cucumber.
Engr. Ahmed noted that irrigation has the potentials of increasing agricultural productivity many folds through the opportunity of all year round cropping of the nation’s arable land.

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