CBN empowers 1,000 Niger youths with N1.5bn agric fund

One thousand Niger youths have been selected to benefit from the N1.5 billion Accelerated Agriculture Development Scheme fund set aside for the state by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). The state Commissioner of Agriculture and Rural Development, Alhaji Nuhu Dukku, disclosed this at a press conference in Minna at the weekend. He said that the state government has cleared over 1000 hectares of land for the programme, adding that each benefi ciary will be allocated a hectare in addition to N400, 000 to N500, 000 cash to engage labourers. He said, “The young farmers will be involved in the cultivation of three mandate crops of rice, maize and soya beans. He explained that the farms were spread across the three zones of the state, adding that 400 hectares have been cleared in Mokwa, another 400 hectares in Borgu, 250 in Rijau while Tagwai and Gwada have 100 hectares each. Dukku said tractors would be made available for the youth farmers to plough the farms, adding that the programme was expected to run for six years and that it would be spread to every local government of the state. He said, “We have three mandated crops to plant. The crops are rice, Maize and soya beans. The areas mentioned are the pilot places to start the accelerated agriculture development scheme. The fi elds have been cleared; what is left is to engage tractors into the farm and plough them and then the youths will commence farming.”

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