In a bid to enhance agricultural development in the state, the Ogun State Government, in collaboration with Soiless Farm Lab and the Mastercard Foundation has awarded grants worth 2.5 million naira and land to 25 graduates of the Enterprise for Youth in Agriculture programme.
Speaking at the graduation ceremony, Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Bolu Owotomo, stressed that the program aims to train a new generation of farmers, ensuring the sustainability of agriculture as older generations retire.
According to a statement released on Tuesday, Owotomo noted that the grants and land allocations are essential steps towards empowering young farmers and revitalizing the agricultural sector in Ogun State.
Owotomo, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Samuel Adeogun noted that the state government is committed to transforming the agricultural sector.
“The state government is committed to transforming the agricultural sector by encouraging more youths to engage in agriculture and creating an enabling environment for the sector to thrive through various intervention programmes,” he said.
In his remarks, Samson Ogbole, Team Lead of Soiless Farm Lab, stated that the programme seeks to attract young people to agriculture by providing modern methods training, making the sector more appealing and accessible to the younger generation.
“We taught them how to build a greenhouse from scratch, and skills in bricklaying, plumbing, electrical works, farm management, financial management, budgeting, and human management,” he said.
Participants expressed their gratitude to the state government for the training and support, pledging to utilize the land and cash gifts to boost food production and contribute to food security in Ogun State and Nigeria as a whole.
