In a major push to reduce dependence on oil and reposition agriculture as a catalyst for inclusive economic growth, the Delta State Government has launched an ambitious programme to empower 1,000 youths with the skills, knowledge and practical tools required to establish and manage profitable agribusinesses.
 
The initiative is designed to move young people beyond subsistence farming into commercially viable agricultural enterprises capable of creating jobs, stimulating local production, attracting private investment and expanding Delta State’s contribution to Nigeria’s food security and foreign exchange earnings.
 
Delta State Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Mr Val Arenyeka, disclosed this while declaring open a Wealth Creation Training Programme through Agriculture for Youths in Ughelli, describing agriculture as a major avenue for wealth creation, employment and sustainable economic development.
 
Arenyeka urged youths across the state to take advantage of the vast opportunities in agriculture, stressing that farming should no longer be regarded merely as a subsistence activity but as a lucrative business capable of creating wealth and transforming livelihoods.
 
He said agriculture remains one of the biggest employers of labour and had the capacity to produce some of the wealthiest individuals in the world, urging participants to approach the training with seriousness and a business-oriented mindset.
 
According to him, the administration of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori is committed to strengthening the state’s economy through strategic investment in agriculture and youth empowerment, to move young people from dependence on government employment to self-reliance as entrepreneurs and employers of labour.
 
The Commissioner highlighted Delta State’s enormous agricultural potential, noting that the state is naturally endowed with fertile land and favourable climatic conditions for crop production.