The Delta State Government has commenced agribusiness training programme for over 1,000 youths across the state.

The state Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Val Arenyeka, disclosed this at a three-day training programme in Ughelli on Wednesday

Mr Arenyeka described agriculture as a major avenue for wealth creation, employment and sustainable economic development.

He said that the training was designed to move youths beyond subsistence farming to commercially viable agriculture.

“The essence is to enable our youths to get involved in enterprises that can create jobs and stimulate local economies,” he said.

According to him, the initiative will also attract private investment and increase the state’s contribution to Nigeria’s food security and foreign exchange earnings.

The commissioner urged youths to take advantage of opportunities in agriculture, saying that farming is no longer a mere subsistence activity.

“Agriculture remains one of the biggest employers of labour, it has the capacity to produce some of the wealthiest individuals in the world,” he said.

Mr Arenyeka said that Governor Sheriff Oborevwori’s administration was committed to strengthening the state’s economy through strategic investment in agriculture and youth empowerment.

“We want to move young people from dependence on government employment to self-reliant entrepreneurs and employers of labour,” he said.

The commissioner further said that Delta State was naturally endowed with fertile land and favourable climatic conditions suitable for crop production.

He urged participants to exploit the state’s comparative advantages and cultivate various crops with minimal dependence on artificial inputs.

Mr Arenyeka said the first phase of the training focussed on four agricultural value chains such as cocoa, coffee, cotton and ginger.

He said that the commodities offered significant opportunities for value addition, investment, income generation and export.

“About 1,000 youths will benefit from the programme, which is currently in the first phase. The programme will subsequently be expanded to accommodate more young people,” he stated.

The commissioner commended Oborevwori for his commitment to youth empowerment, particularly efforts to increase young people’s participation in agriculture and agribusiness.

He urged participants to approach the training with commitment and business-oriented mindset.

Also speaking, the Special Adviser to the governor on Agriculture, George Oyefia, urged youths to embrace agriculture as a pathway to wealth creation and economic independence.

Mr Oyefia, who is also the facilitator of the programme, encouraged participants to explore opportunities across agricultural value chains.

Conducting journalists round the training facilities, Mr Oyefia showcased a mini tractor for mechanised farming and a chaff cutter for livestock feed production.

He said that the provision of practical equipment demonstrated the programme’s focus on equipping participants with hands-on agricultural skills.

“No fewer than 10,000 cocoa seedlings, 100,000 cotton seedlings, 5,000 coffee seedlings and 5,000 ginger seedlings will be distributed to participants after the training,” he said.

A resource person, Israel Yusuf, said that the programme focused on the four commodities because of their high export value and strong international demand.

He said that emphasis was being placed on market access, value addition and investment readiness.

“This initiative is also designed to tackle youth unemployment, poverty and social vices by providing legitimate and sustainable sources of income,” he said.

He expressed confidence that the programme could generate millions of dollars in revenue while producing a new generation of agribusiness entrepreneurs.

A participant, Duchess Ikpasa, commended the state government for organising the training, saying that it will help them to become self-employed.

Another participant, Kesiah Idodo, expressed optimism about the programme’s impact, and described it as an opportunity to acquire practical knowledge and expand agricultural activities.

(NAN)