In a bid to advance its agro revolution, the Enugu State Government is empowering youths to take the lead, according to Mr. Patrick Uburu, the state’s Commissioner for Agriculture and Agro-Industrialization.
During the distribution of starter packs to trained youths under the Songhai initiative, Uburu expressed the state’s dedication to achieving food sufficiency.
Highlighting the ongoing efforts, Uburu mentioned, “Distribution of agricultural items was kickstarted by His Excellency, Dr. Peter Mbah on the 5th of this month at Okpara Square. Today’s distribution is aimed at supporting youths.”
He continued, “We have collaborated with Songhai to train youths in integrated farming. Currently, 300 youths are undergoing training, adding to the 600 already trained. The state provides start-up kits post-training across various agricultural sectors such as poultry, pig farming, and food processing.”
Emphasizing the importance of youth inclusion in the agro revolution, Uburu stated, “After training, we will facilitate agro credit for these youths. Our governor’s vision is centered on empowering the youth in agriculture.”
Moreover, Uburu mentioned the selection of youths from 17 local government areas and the post-training monitoring process to ensure transparency.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Victor Onwu, advised beneficiaries to maximize the opportunity, noting that monitoring would be in place.
Expressing gratitude for the initiative, a beneficiary, Lolo Chioma Chude, underscored the zero-waste production model taught during the integrated farming training under Songhai, praising the governor and the commissioner for their support.