Delta govt establishes 1,520 youths in agricultural production in six years

September 28, 2022

Some of the trainees at the workshop in Asaba, on Wednesday

At least, 1,520 beneficiaries have been trained, established and supported in various agricultural enterprises under the Youths Agricultural Entrepreneurs Program (YAGEP) in Delta State between 2015 and 2021.

The beneficiaries were established in poultry, crop production, piggery, fish production, agro-processing and agribusiness.

YAGEP is one of the flagship job and wealth creation programmes of the present administration in the state which was inaugurated on August 26, 2015, with the aim of creating jobs and wealth for youths.

Chief Job and Wealth Creation Officer in the state, Prof. Eric Eboh, disclosed at the Orientation and Farm Enterprise Training (OFET) workshop for the first batch of 145 trainees in cassava production in Asaba on Wednesday that the majority of the beneficiaries engaged in fish production (43 per cent) followed by crop production (27 per cent), poultry (24 per cent), piggery (4 per cent) and others [2 per cent].

Prof Ebo noted that the agricultural program had contributed significantly to agricultural outputs and the overall growth of the agricultural sector in Delta State.

“Estimates show that, from 2015-2021, YAGEP beneficiaries have produced/contributed 2,298.46 metric tonnes of poultry, 72,280,767 eggs and 6,682.91 metric tonnes of fish.

“In addition, YAGEP outputs include 2,342.25 metric tonnes of pig, 3,084.40 metric tonnes of cassava roots, 1,572.78 metric tonnes of grains, 862.16 metric tonnes of fruits and plantain and 2,236.02metric tonnes of vegetables including tomatoes, watermelon and cucumber.”

According to him, 43 per cent of the beneficiaries are graduates with Bachelor’s Degree or Higher National Diploma, adding that the youths were trained on best practices in agricultural production, farm enterprise management and agricultural marketing [crop and livestock], farm records and financial accounts, managing risks and uncertainties in agricultural production among others.

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