National Youth Service Corps Members Charged To develop Interest In Agriculture

The Director-General, National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brig.-Gen. Shuaibu Ibrahim, has charged youth corps members to develop interest in agriculture to enable them become self-reliant.

He stated this at the inauguration of the 2021 Farming season by NYSC Youth Corps members on a 16-hectare farm land secured by the NYSC in Doma local government area of Nasarawa.

Ibrahim said since 2012, NYSC had introduced a number of programmes, including Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) Programme, aimed at teaching corp members skills they would need to be self-employed given the scarcity of white collar jobs.

He said one of the trainings offered by SAED is agriculture, a sector capable of lifting many from poverty and employing many young Nigerians.

Ibrahim thanked the Andoma of Doma, Aliyu Onawo, for offering the land to NYSC for agriculture demonstration to corps members, among other uses.

He said that the acquisition of the land and the practical use of it would go a long way to convince corps members to see agriculture as a viable alternative.

He urged other royal fathers and state governments to emulate the good gesture of the Andoma to avail lands to corps members to enable them showcase their talents and get experience in farming.

Also speaking, Nasarawa State Deputy Governor, Emmanuel Akabe, lauded the commitment of the NYSC in pushing the agriculture agenda of the Federal Government to youth corps members with a view to encouraging them to be self-reliant.

Akabe, represented by the Commissioner of Agriculture and Water Resources, Prof. Allalana Otaki, pledged Nasarawa state government’s support for the NYSC agriculture initiative.

In his remark, Coordinator of the NYSC in the state, Stephen Dewan, expressed excitement over farming season development.

He promised to ensure that corps members in the state are thoroughly trained and exposed to the numerous opportunities available in the agriculture sector.

Meanwhile, President, NYSC Nasarawa state Agro Allied Community Development Service (CDS) Group who is also a Corp member, Johnbenedict Tyoakosu, said the group would commence the farming season with planting of melon seeds.

He said melon seeds mature in three months and two weeks, adding that they would also plant beniseed.

He said the farm will be used for demonstration purposes for corps members interested in farming to learn the best agronomic practices of the crops that will be cultivated there, adding that it will enable them train the beneficiaries not just theoretically but practically.

Tyoakosu noted that the agricultural activities on the Demonstration Farm would contribute to the food security of Nasarawa State and Nigeria as a whole.

He further stated that practical work on Agro based SAED can also be done to equip the corp members with the skills which will make them self-employed and subsequently employers of labour.