IFAD supports 4,000 Benue youths in rice and cassava production


MAKURDI.........About 4,000 Benue youths are currently being supported by the International Fund for Agricultural Development, Value Chain Development Programme, IFAD-VCDP, to boost rice and cassava production in the state.


Benue State Project Coordinator IFAD-VCDP, Mr. Emmanuel Igbaukum made this known yesterday at the opening of a one day Intra-State Youth Forum and Bootcamp on Agribusiness and Value Addition for Youths in Rice and Cassava value chain.


Igbaukum said, "the programme has exposed the benefiting youths to good agronomy practices, especially in the areas of land preparation, farm management, distribution of improved seedlings, planting technics and harvesting.


"When we started, our rice production level was at the range of 0.9 to 1.5 metric tonnes per hectare but today our farmers are making an average of 5.5 metric tonnes per hectare, that is the unprecedented achievement this programme has given us."


On her part, Nkiruka Nnaemego, Founder of Fresh and Young Brains Development Initiative, the facilitators of the forum, said the programme would help the benefiting youth in six states of the federation share experiences and challenges to prepare them for the task ahead.


On his part, the Benue state Commissioner of Agriculture, Mr. James Anbua urged the youths to leverage on the people oriented agricultural policies of the administration to take up agriculture as a profession.


"Today agriculture is no more seen as a layman's occupation, it is a big business, our youths must take advantage of this to develop the sector and make it more attractive and profit oriented.



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