The Federal Ministry of Agriculture has disclosed its plans to partner with Nigeria Farmers Group and Cooperative Society (NFGCS), using its model as a template to transfer agropreneurship knowledge and technical skills with the aim to establish farm settlements in all local governments across Nigeria.
The Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development, Mustapha Shehuri, made this known recently in Keffi during an inspection visit to Gaate Farm City in Kokona Local Goverment Area of Nasarawa State.
According to the minister, the move is a public-private partnership, one that is in tandem with one of President Muhammadu Buhari’s strategies to lift millions of Nigerians out of poverty in the next decade through the agro value chain.
Mustapha who was in company with other government officials said he was overwhelmed with the green revolution he met at the farm, noting that the government would send its delegate to the farm to tap from its wealth of knowledge.
“I am really overwhelmed with what I see here today and words cannot express how I feel right now. You have successfully taken yourselves out of hopelessness and gave hope to yourselves and other Nigerians. This is the dream and vision of President Buhari and the ministry is ready to partner to ensure that we have something like this in every local government in Nigeria.
“This is the first of its kind in this part of the world. The group has found a solution to the problem of the country, which majorly is centered on job opportunities. This is unique as youths heading for rural farms and not looking for contracts in the streets of Abuja, is a selling message for national economic development.
The template to stop the herdsmen and farmers clashes nationwide is less than an hour drive from Abuja.
“You have offered solution for a community to live a purposeful life. I can see the entire community is engaged in every section of the farm,” he added.
“Every community in Nigeria needs something like this, said the minister who further declared that the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Developments would immediately commence the process of developing a working memo for the President to begin the process of nationwide youth agro training.
