YEAP: FG To Empower 30,000

As part of its promise to promote decent income generation and livelihood for the youth as well as empower about 750,000 commercial farmers and agribusiness operators, the federal government, through the Youth Employment in Agriculture Programme (YEAP), has commenced the empowerment of 30,000 young people in area-based priority value chain.
According to  a release obtained by our correspondent of the federal secretariat, Port Harcourt recently, the permanent secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD), Arc. Sonny Echono, disclosed during a meeting  with stakeholders in the poultry industry at the ministry’s Headquarters in Abuja.
Arc. Echono said the ministry has received about 34,000 applications from intending agricultural entrepreneurs (agropreneurs) and market-oriented producers from 12 participating states, including the Federal Capital Territory (ECT).
He noted that a total of 250 agroprenuers would be selected per state including the FCT under the first phase of the programme.
According to him, the validation and final selection of the young agropreneurs and market-oriented producers would be done at state levels in collaboration with the ministry’s state directors.
He added that training would also be conducted for the beneficiaries at various credible agric and research institutions, universities and other vocational training institutions across Nigeria.
The Permanent Secretary listed the participating states to include, Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, Gombe, Imo, Kaduna, Kastina, Lagos, Niger, Ogun as well as the FCT.
He further explained that such  beneficiaries would be trained in various value chains like, rice, aquaculture, poultry, maize, tomato, wheat, sorghum, apiculture, soya bean, cassava, groundnut, oil palm, snailery, grass cutter and multiple value chains including welding and fabrication, repairs and maintenance.