By Kazeem Awojoodu, Ibadan
No fewer than hundred youths that have been trained by Oyo State government on agribusiness value chain on Tuesday benefitted from Agribusiness Intervention Scheme, a federal government program tagged Nigeria Covid-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus (N-Cares) In conjunction with the Oyo State Development Agency (OYSADA) with the support of the World Bank.
Naijanewshub.com.ng reports that the aim of the program is to boost the food production in the state, as well as to support the farmers that were affected by the outbreak of covid-19 pandemic.
N-CARES also in its plan to enhance cassava production in the state, most especially at this planting season commenced distribution of the needed materials in 11 Local Government Areas of the state.
The beneficiaries that were selected from Oyo West Local Government Area of the state went home with cassava stems, fertilizers and other agro-chemicals that will aid their farming activities at Fashola farm, Oyo under the supervision of experts from OYSADA.
Addressing the beneficiaries shortly after the distributions of the agribusiness intervention farming materials, the project coordinator, Resort Area 2, Mr. Bamgbola Kolawole maintained that the post-COVID-19 intervention plan for youths was geared toward increasing food security and supporting the food supply chain for poor households.
He noted that the beneficiaries of the intervention scheme are among the 3,300 youths that went for training on Agribusiness in Nasarawa state on the bill of Oyo state government with the main purpose of engaging the youths in agribusiness value chain and on how to do farming with modern techniques and latest initiatives that will enhance the farming productivity.
Bamgbola maintained that the initiative which would span about 2 years would empower over 6,000 youths in the state.
Bamgbola said, “the youths who were divided into ten groups are expected to cultivate 50 hectares of land on the Fashola farm having been given the materials to complement several efforts of interventions by the Governor Seyi Makinde-led administration in the agricultural sector.
Some of the beneficiaries who spoke with journalists lauded the continuous support of the state government as it was empowering them with necessary intervention to ensure their self-reliance.
Director of Agriculture and Desk officer, Oyo West Local Government Area who represented the council chairman, Mr Salam Akeem, expressed commitment to ensuring the objectives of the intervention were achieved.