The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD), has trained 40 Young farmers in the North-East on modern rice production, Community seed multiplication and inclusive business management.
Speaking at the end of the training on Thursday in Yola, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Mohammed Abubakar, urged the participants to teach their association members and other farmers in their respective Communities on the technique.
Abubakar, represented by Dr. Fatima Aliyu, Deputy Director, Cereals and National Desk Officer, rice value chain, implored the participants to make judicious use of the starter packs and produce quality certified seeds to boost rice production in their communities.
He said this would help to create jobs, generate more income and improve their standard of living.
“The insight gained from the training would also help the young farmers to run their farming activities as a business, increase their communities access to quality seed, to produce more food for the nation, increase their income and create jobs along the value chain,” he said.
Alhaji Umar Daware, Adamawa Commissioner for Agriculture, commended the Federal government for the training and provision of starter packs for the participants.
Daware, represented by Mrs. Edna Azura, Director, Agric Service, urged the participants to make judicious use of the starter packs for more success for themselves and the nation at large.
In his address, Alhaji Usman Michika, Adamawa Chairman, All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), said the training came at the right time because of climate change.
He encouraged the participants to understand that Agriculture is a business and they can not get good yield without improved seed.
Michika advised them to also key into value chain for more profit at the end of the season.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the participants were young farmers registered with the Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN) and AFAN drawn from Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba and Yobe states. (NAN)
