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FADAMA launches agriculture scheme for youths, women

In keeping the promise of providing employment for youths and unemployed graduates, the Federal Government in collaboration with the World Bank through the FADAMA Project...

In keeping the promise of providing employment for youths and unemployed graduates, the Federal Government in collaboration with the World Bank through the FADAMA Project, has launched an empowerment programme  for youth and women tagged: FADAMA III AF Graduate Unemployed Youth and Women Agro-Preneur Support Programme (FADAMA-Guys).

The National Project Coordinator of FADAMA, Tayo Adewumi said the first phase of the programme would cover 21 states and the FCT.

The states are Abia, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Ebonyi, Ekiti, Jigawa, Katsina.

Others are Kebbi, Kogi, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Sokoto  and Taraba.

Adewumi further revealed that the FADAMA-GYS Scheme was in furtherance of the Green Alternative Roadmap Agriculture Promotion Policy of the Federal Government, recently launched by the Minister for Agriculture, Audu Ogbeh.

The minister said the Green Alternative recognises the key role of both the small holder farmers and the large scale farmers in maximizing agricultural output and increased efficiency in agricultural operations

Beneficiaries of the scheme shall be between the ages of 18 and 35 and must have demonstrable passion for agriculture and also willing to become agro-preneurs.

Secondary School Leaving Certificates holders who have practiced farming and enterprise of choice for at least five years would also be eligible to benefit from the scheme.

The applicants must have access to land or place where the agro-enterprise would be located.

Federal Government has received additional financing from the World Bank towards the cost of the Third National Fadama Development (Fadama III) Project, to support ramping up of production of four prioritised staple crops namely: rice, cassava, sorghum and tomatoes.

The project would apply part of the facility to support graduates, unemployed youths and women to become agro-preneurs in line with the Green Alternative Roadmap Agriculture Promotion Policy.

The additional financing will be fully dedicated to improving farm productivity performance, of clusters of farmers engaged in priority food staples. The new strategy seeks to attract private investments in production, processing, milling and other aspects of agriculture.

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