Naija, make I yarn you about wetin dey happen for Ondo State. Di Federal Government don team up with International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and Ondo State Government to empower 14,800 youths wey go turn dem hand to agricultural production. Dis program wey dem dey call IFAD/FG/Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprise-Niger Delta Project go showcase itself for 100 communities across di 10 local governments of Ondo.
Olawale Ademola, di State Project Coordinator, come drop di gist at one media meeting wey happen for Akure. Him talk say di first phase of di project finished for April 2025, but dem don extend am with additional financing. E sweet me as e talk say dem don train over 4,182 youths during di first phase, and now dem dey target even more for di new phase.
Dis project go touch local governments like Akure North, Ondo East, and Akoko South-West among others. Ademola dey ginger us say dem wan empower 5,800 youths as proper incubatees and 9,000 go dey collect business development services. Dem dey focus on better food production for cocoa, cassava, fishery, and poultry.
Tin wey dey ginger am be say dem get some wahala wey dey face dem like insecurity and inflation, but dem dey work to solve am. Bodunwa Isaiah, di Agribusiness Promotion Officer, come explain say dem wan make sure food dey enough, plus create jobs for di youth. Na serious matter wey dey focus on better revenue generation too.
Bolanle Akinyede, di Gender and Youth Officer, come add say dem go dey pick youths wey get passion for agriculture. Na so dem go train dem well-well. She talk say, ‘We dey look for those wey get interest, because agriculture be business.’ Dis one go help to make sure say community dey grow by itself.
From wetin one beneficiary, Daniel Omoniyi from Igoba, talk, di initiative don open eye for many youths. Him no sabi say farming fit be business until e join dis program. E no be small thing o!
Na dis kind initiative wey go change di game for agriculture young folks. E no just dey empower dem with training, but dem go also receive start-up support for equipment and cash grants. Na true collaboration feye wey dey work for Ondo!
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