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| The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development. Chief Audu Ogbeh |
The Minister of Agriculture and
Rural Development. Chief Audu Ogbeh has assured the youths of the country that
they embracing agriculture will be the foundation and break through the nation
has been waiting for to take the leadership position as the Giant of Africa.
Ogbeh said that when youths take to agriculture, that will be the foundation
stone that will set the country free from poverty and thereby create and grow
wealth that is sustainable, more so they will legitimately be rich and be
happy.
The Minister said this while
commissioning the Agriculture Transformation Agenda Support Program, ATASP-1,
Youth Training Center and the Flag -off of National Agribusiness Youth Training
on Seed Production and Processing Technology in Kubwa-Abuja.
Audu Ogbeh encouraged youths to take
up agribusiness which is one of the legal means of getting wealth. Seed
processing is strategic to agriculture, hence the setting up of this training
center. The Minister expressed his deep appreciation hearing youths who gave
glowing testimonies of how much they have gained recently when they ventured
into agribusiness, the Minister told them he was delightfully pound of them and
will support them in whatever way possible.
Earlier, the National Program
Coordinator, Akwashiki Haruna Kuje, informed guest that the availability of
improved seeds/ planting materials at the right time and quantity is crucial to
enhancing agricultural production and productivity for food security and
poverty alleviation in Nigeria. The use of quality seeds has contributed
immensely to the success of 'Green Revolution' World -over. Improved seeds
offers not only one of the cheapest and basic potential means of
increasing production per unit area, but it is also one of the critical
determinants of benefits derivable from agro-inputs such as fertilizer,
insecticide, herbicide, etc. thus all over the world, the use of improved seeds
has been the most cost-effective means of achieving self- sufficiency in crop
production.
However, one of the major challenges
facing farmers in ATASP-1 intervention area is the shortage of quality seeds. Consequently,
ATASP-1 in collaboration with the outreach Programmed is organizing a training
for 200 selected youths on seed production technology, the training will hold
in three (3) venues viz: Kubwa, FCT for Cassava, NCRI Badeggi for Rice
and IAR, Zaria for Sorghum. the selected youths will produce seeds for farmers
in their various communities after the training.
The Minister also noted with
appreciation the huge contribution and support from our own, Dr Akinwumi
Adesina, the current President of Africa Development Bank alongside the
Director General of International Institute for Tropical Agriculture ( IITA )
Dr. Nteranya Sanginga, they both gave their words and assurances to continually
fund the program. In the same vein the outreach program coordinator, of the
Agricultural Transformation Agenda Support Program, Dr. Gbassey Tarawali, said
IITA is the major agricultural research organization in Africa and that it is
working with international and national partners to improve livelihoods enhance
food and nutrition security, increase employment and also the preservation of
our natural resource integrity. Tarawali also said that the Abuja station is
currently serving as a Strategic Hub in Africa for showcasing agricultural
technologies to Donors, Embassies, Development Partners and Government
Agencies.
Lere-Adams, A.B. ( Mrs).
Deputy Director - Information.
For ; Director - Information.
FMARD.
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