Dogara empowers 1, 000 women, youths in agriculture

As the farming season sets in, no fewer than 1, 000 women and youths are to benefit from a training and empowerment programme on agricultural practices facilitated by the Speaker of the House of Representatives,  Yakubu Dogara.

This is contained in a statement issued to Journalists in Bauchi by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the Speaker,  Mr Iliya Habila,  stating that the training programme is aimed at empowering women and youths for improved agricultural production.

The participants according to the statement, are drawn from across the 42 wards in the Bogoro/Dass/Tafawa Balewa Federal Constituency of Bauchi state, which Yakubu Dogara is representing at the National Assembly.

While speaking at the opening session of the programme held in Bogoro on Tuesday, the Speaker,  who was represented by his Senior Special Assistant on Logistics, Mr Jolly Yakubu,  told the participants that the programme was part of the efforts aimed at enhancing their farming knowledge towards improving crop yield.

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According to him, the two-day training session was also aimed at enhancing the capacity of the farmers in modern agricultural practices pointing out that in the past years,  similar training programmes facilitated by the Speaker had boosted agricultural production in the constituency and state at large.

He urged the beneficiaries to listen attentively to the lectures to be given by specialists in various fields of agriculture to enable them to benefit from the programme.

The aide also told the participants that the programme included some packages,  including cash to assist them in farming,  and urged them to ensure judicious use of the funds.

In a remark,  Dr Aminu Mohammed,  a Consultant with Al-Basith Investment Nigeria Limited,  the Consulting firm which conducted the programme,  told the farmers that with modern practices and techniques,  the crop yields being recorded in their farms would increase appreciably.

Some of the participants who spoke on the programme commended the Speaker for sustaining his human development and empowerment programmes for his constituents.

The participants said with the lectures and question and answer session,  they were better equipped with the requisite knowledge to boost farming in their areas.

The beneficiaries also noted that the incentives that accompanied the training would no doubt motivate them as well as enhance their efforts aimed at increased crop yields.