YAGEP: Delta gives farm inputs support package to youth farmers

Delta State Job and Wealth Creation Bureau have commenced the distribution of agricultural inputs and cash support to the first batch of the 2022 cycle Youth Agricultural Entrepreneurs (Brown-YAGEP), numbering 142.

The beneficiaries who are into cassava production are drawn from the three senatorial districts of the state and the government support is aimed at helping them cultivate cassava.

Speaking in Asaba while handing out the items to the beneficiaries in Delta North District, Eric Eboh, the chief job creation officer of the bureau, said that the farm inputs support package comprises agro-chemicals, knapsack sprayer, fertilizers and cash support of N100,000 for farm labour.

“This handing-out of cassava enterprise inputs at Asaba is the first distribution centre, which will be followed during this week and next week by distribution at various centres including Agbor, Oghara, Eku, Ughelli, Oleh and Amukpe.

Eboh, a professor of agricultural economics, disclosed that over the next months of the cassava farming cycle, YAGEP beneficiaries would be trained on best agricultural practices in efficient, profitable and innovative cassava enterprise management.

According to him, the overall aim is to help the YAGEP beneficiaries to become better agricultural entrepreneurs.

Festus Agas, the chief of staff to the state governor, while describing the state as a developing economy, recalled that in year 2015, Governor Okowa made a covenant with youths and women to create job. “This was a promise made and a promise kept,” he said.

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He pointed out that the state government has trained and established 12,800 entrepreneurs through its various job creation programmes.

While noting that the primary aim of every government is to make life more meaningful for its people, he charged the beneficiaries to

make judicious use of the farm inputs and to be good ambassadors of Governor Okowa’s drive to make life more meaningful for them.

Godfrey Enitan, commissioner for agriculture, re-emphasised the governor’s passion to boost agriculture and food security in the stated and urged the YAGEPreneurs to use the farm inputs support package to improve their livelihoods, especially in the agricultural value chain.

Ifeanyi Egwunyenga, commissioner for Youth, advised them to have the right mind-set in order to use the support package to produce results that would enhance their lives and those of their families.

Dita Philip, one of the beneficiaries, in an interview with BusinessDay Sunday, expressed happiness over the support, describing it as a relief package.

“I have 30 acres of farmland in Issele-Uku and I’ve been farming for the past 15 years without any support from the government, and it’s been very difficult for me.

“Presently, I have one to two months old cassava farms and I’m going to use part of the items on them while keeping the rest for next year’s planting season. With the cash support, starting a new farm in the coming year would be easier for me,” he said.

The father of two while appreciating the state government for the support initiative however, appealed that they be provided with tractors to enhance their productivity. He lamented that absence of tractors in their Issele-Uku locality was affecting the farmers negatively.