FG gives N1m grant to each “FADAMA GUYS” In Ondo

The Provost of Federal College of Agriculture, Akure (FECA), Dr. Samson Adeola Odedina, has expressed optimism that the potentials of diversification into agriculture can ease out unemployment related poverty within three months. 

Odedina reiterated this at the opening ceremony of the two-week technical and business training in agriculture value chain, under the FADAMA Graduate Unemployed Youths and Women Support Programme (FADAMA GUYS), which ended yesterday in Akure. 

He said young people with basic education and right attitude, if properly exposed to proven value chain job opportunities and its attendant linkages, can sort out unemployment related poverty within three months.

“The country needs young farmers or new generation of farmers that can raise productivity by applying technology that will make agricultural enterprises profitable so that other interested youths can follow,” he said.

As a leading agricultural training institution in Africa, he disclosed that FECA had trained over 1, 500 youths in agricultural value chain opportunities in cassava, poultry, aquaculture, maize and tree crops on behalf of stakeholder organisations. 

The Provost said it would also expose them to success stories of youths, who are currently benefitting from the college’s expertise in Abuja, Ogun, Delta, Benue, Cross River and Ebonyi States.

The Provost said: “If youths who have shown voluntary interest in agriculture and have been supported by government with training and logistics fail to deliver, it is a wrong signal to other youths and threat to agricultural development.”

State coordinator of FADAMA III Project, Mr. Olusiji Olatunji, said the project has disbursed over N1b to farmers in the state, while N400m went to various youth empowerment schemes. Olatunji said there are 17 FADAMA youth villages aimed at dissipating all forms of menace and social vices, as well as ameliorate the tensed condition in the Labour market.