By Tony Okafor, Awka
Twenty young farmers from Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State have departed for the Songhai Centre, Porto Novo, Republic of Benin, for an intensive agricultural training programme aimed at boosting food production and youth empowerment.
The Mayor of Aguata LGA, Dr. Chibueze Ofobuike, led the delegation as they departed from the Chinua Achebe International Airport, Umueri, en route to Lagos, from where they would proceed to Porto Novo for the three-day intensive programme.
The beneficiaries were drawn from various communities across Aguata, where they are already engaged in different aspects of agriculture, including poultry, piggery, fishery and crop production.
The initiative, according to the council chairman, is part of efforts to enhance capacity, improve modern farming techniques and support agribusiness development among youths in the area.
Speaking before their departure, Ofobuike said the training was driven by his administration’s commitment to impacting lives and strengthening the local economy through agriculture.
“I shared in their high spirits as I joined them to Lagos for the purpose of handing them over to the care of the farm management and to also engage some of our supporters in Lagos as we explore sponsorships for our prospective projects and programmes,” he said.
He added, “My team and I are hopeful that this exposure and support will lift them higher in their respective agricultural engagements.”
Officials said upon completion of the training, each of the participants would receive a financial support package of ₦1 million to scale up their farming ventures.
The council chairman expressed optimism that the programme would not only empower the beneficiaries but also encourage other young people in Aguata to embrace agriculture as a viable means of livelihood.
The initiative is also expected to promote modern agricultural practices and contribute to food security in the local government area and the state at large.
The Aguata council has repeatedly emphasised youth development and economic empowerment, with Ofobuike noting that “in Aguata LGA, impossibility is nothing.”
