Agricultural agencies have been directed to prioritise the use of modern methods of farming in order to ensure full participation in the sector by youths.
President Mohammadu Buhari made this order on Tuesday, while presiding over a flag off of the National Young Farmers Scheme in Abuja.
The Scheme is a pilot programme that involves 100 young Nigerians from each of the 774 local governments in Nigeria.
The project’s final goal is to encourage and empower 1000 farmers from each of the 774 Local Government Areas (LGA) in Nigeria each year, and it is intended to cut across all facets of agriculture.
The programme is currently being administered by the National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA).
The programme is in line with the present administration’s quest to diversify our economy and ensure self-sufficiency in food production.
The programme when successfully implemented is capable of growing agricultural output and industry in Nigeria, saving hard-earned foreign exchange, decrease the over-dependence of the country on import.
