Niger to Encourage Youth Participation in Agriculture With N3.5bn Grant

Laleye Dipo in Minna

The Niger State Government is to encourage Youths to participate in agriculture with the establishment of Agriculture Development Fund in which N3.5billion is to deposited.

The Chief Press Secretary to Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago, Mr. Bologi Ibrahim, said in a statement that the policy is one of the outcomes of the Green Economy Summit, which took place in Minna last week.

Ibrahim said under that the arrangement each of the 25 local governments would contribute N100 million to the fund while the state government would give N1 billion to kick off the scheme.

He said that the first 1,000 youths that would key into the vision would receive N1 million as grant, adding that a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed on the cultivation of one million banana seedlings.

Ibrahim said that the state governor has also approved the establishment of an Agriculture Extension School in each of the 25 local government areas to train the youths in virtually all aspects of farming.

He added that the takeoff grant to be given to the youths would further encourage them to go commercial farming.

He said that the governor appealed to the youths to take advantage of the opportunity to improve their standard of living.