By Bashir Aliyu
The Niger State Social Investment Program office has flagged off the first scheme and batch of participants under the Enterprise for Youths in Agriculture (EYiA) Program —the first initiative of its kind in Niger State. The agriculture training scheme taking place in Awowo, Abeokuta, Ogun State is an initiative of Soilless Farm Lab and Mastercard foundation, with the participants drawn from NSIP’s preliminary social safety register.
According to the Special Adviser to the Governor of Niger State on Social Investment Programs and national focal person Niger State, Hajiya Hauwa Mohammed Bako, the initiative is aligned with the state’s major policy thrust of youth empowerment through agriculture which is currently being driven by the Niger State governor, Gov. Mohammed Umar Bago, the Governor has continuously reiterated the need to invest massively in agriculture and harness the state’s potential; and that Niger State holds ten percent of Nigeria’s landmass and as such will pursue a vigorous agricultural policy that will ensure its agricultural value chain potential, especially in the area of large scale commercial agriculture is achieved.
EYiA, a collaboration between Soilless Farm Lab and the Mastercard Foundation, seeks to empower youths and women with cutting-edge skills in modern agriculture. Over the next three months, these 50 participants who are aged between 18-29 years old will dive deep into the world of soilless farming, greenhouse technology, hydroponics, and AI-driven agriculture. The program equips them with practical skills and ensures they are equipped with entrepreneurship skills.
The EYiA participants will have the opportunity to co-own and manage a soilless farm as a group, fostering teamwork and leadership. The scheme also plans to build long-term interests in olericulture and soilless farming, it is a hands-on training that features a cluster of 50 students working on 3 plots of hydroponics farm setup with access to logistics and a storage facility on the farm. Other features of the program include access to off-takers and a post-training and mentorship program to evaluate the lessons learned on the project.
Hajiya Bako used the occasion to thank Gov. Bago for the support rendered by the state government on the project and also advised the team of 50, to be good ambassadors of Niger State and be of good behaviour during the entire duration of the project. The project which has Master Card as an implementation partner is to last for 12 weeks.