By Gertrude Onyekachukwu-Uteh
The Delta State Government through its Youth Agricultural Entrepreneurs Programme (YAGEP) has trained an additional twenty-nine youth farmers to boost livestock production in the state.
Addressing the beneficiaries at the Conference Hall of the Delta State Job and Wealth Creation Bureau in Asaba, venue for the Orientation and Farm Enterprise Training (OFET) for fourth batch of Brown YAGEP enrollees in the 2020/2021 Cycle, the Chief Job and Wealth Creation Officer, Prof Eric Eboh, presented to them the design and process of YAGEP.
He said the OFET was organized to enroll and familiarize them with the principles and methods of YAGEP with special reference to key topics in farm management such as, “Farm Records and Accounts” and “Best Practices in Piggery/Poultry and Fish Production Management.”
Prof Eboh represented by the Programme Supervisor, YAGEP, Mr. Sam Ndikanwu, said the beneficiaries of the fourth batch were a mop-up exercise of those earlier verified by the Directorate of Youth Monitoring and Mentoring and confirmed to have established farms either in Poultry, Piggery and Fish Productions respectively, adding that the 29 beneficiaries brought the total number of Brown YAGEP beneficiaries in the cycle to 351.
He noted that the 29 participants constituted the fourth batch of the Brown YAGEP in the 2020/2021 Cycle, adding that the first batch comprised 158 youth farmers in Crop Production, the second 121 in Poultry, Piggery and Fish Productions, and Bee-Keeping and the third 43.
He pointed out that the Brown YAGEPreneurs included 20 poultry farmers, 6 farmers in fish production and 3 piggery farmers, assuring them that the farm enterprise training workshop would be followed with provision of support packages in terms of breed stock, feeds according to enterprise, and monitoring and mentoring by the Directorate of Youth Monitoring and Mentoring (DYMM.)
“Since 2015, there has never been a break in the YAGEP activities. The 2020/2021 Cycle is the 6th Cycle. Make maximum use of the support package to be given to you by ensuring that the biological inputs are sourced from the right source to ensure maximum growth and profit,” he advised.
On his part, the Executive Assistant to the Governor on DYMM, Mr. Edward Mekwunye, admonished them to work hard to sustain the successes recorded in the job creation programme.
He assured them of the State Government’s commitment to monitoring and mentoring of their farm enterprises to ensure that they become great agripreneurs.
Speaking separately, Onakpoya Evarere (Ethiope East LGA) and Ejotugba (Ethiope West LGA) both in Poultry Production appreciated the State Government for the opportunity given to them to enroll in YAGEP.
They said the farm inputs of 200 birds, medication and 65 to 70 bags of feeds to each beneficiary would help to grow the birds to table size and in the long run expand their farm enterprises.
