FG empowers 60 graduate youth farmers in Delta, commissions irrigation project

The federal government, on Thursday flagged off the Graduate Farmers/Youth Empowerment Scheme with 60 beneficiaries shortlisted from over 200 applicants in Illah, Delta state.
Also commissioning the Illah/Ebu Centre Pivot Irrigation Scheme (CPIS) a project of the

Benin-Owena River Basin Development Authority (BORBDA), the Minister of Water Resources, Engr. Suleman Adamu said the event was yet another milestone in government’s effort to revitalize the River Basin Development Authorities which established to boost agricultural production in the country through all year round farming.

The minister said the Graduate Youth Empowerment Scheme was the eight pilot project of the scheme so far haven launched similar projects in seven states namely: Kampe Irrigation Project, Kogi State, Integrated Farming Project, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Talata Mafara Scheme, Zamfara State, Kadawa Integrated Centre, Kano State, Ogoja Irrigation Scheme, Cross River State, Agbala Integrated Farm Project, Imo State and Doma Dam Irrigation Project, Nassarawa state.

He said the scheme will continue to engage selected participants in batches of fifty, who will be trained in various agricultural activities such like: crop farming, aquaculture, dairy farming, animal husbandary, food processing and other sustainable agricultural activities.
“The beneficiaries will subsequently be empowered through other government intervention programmes to establish their own agric ventures or become trainers in their own right, thereby creating a multiplier effect to further sustain the objectives of the programme, with the attendant positive impact on the economy through improved food production and employment generation.”

Also speaking at the ceremony, the Managing Director of BORBDA, Engr. Saliu Ahmed said that the Authority had undertaken various irrigation facilities in Ewulu, Illah/Ebu both in Delta State and Ukhun Erha, Illushi-Ega-Oria both in Edo State; and the Owena Multipurpose Dam, Erusu Dam, Iju/Ita-Ogbolu all in Ondo State; and the Oye, Ero and Apariko Dams in Ekiti state.

“The Illah/Ebu Irrigation Project is one of the priority projects of BORBDA, with a capacity of over 3, 000Ha of irrigable land out of which 550Ha has so far been made available by the Illah and Ebu Communities. The twin communities are noted for the production of rice, water melon and cucumber, for which the available irrigation facilities are grossly inadequate. Irrigation has the potentials of increasing agricultural productivity many folds through the opportunity of all year round cropping of the nation’s arable land”, the BORBDA Boss stated.
According to him, the Illah/Ebu take-off phase is on a 68Ha land provided with irrigation infrastructure for both rain fed and dry season farming and an additional 35Ha for rain fed agriculture only, adding that this phase one involves 60 graduates shortlisted from over 200 applicants drawn from the communities that have provided the land.

“Each farmer has been allocated 1Ha of farmland – 0.5Ha with irrigation facilities and 0.5Ha rain fed. They have undergone preliminary training in modern agronomic practices on their choice crops to improve their capacities and maximize the yield from the available infrastructure. This training shall be sustained as we monitor their progress and success in the practice of agriculture as a profession and business through our support with various inputs from time to time.”

“In addition to the initial 60 graduate participants, there are over 30 farmers who farm rice and vegetables yearly on different plot sizes ranging from 1Ha. to 50Ha. It is our plan to increase the number of graduate farmers to 1, 000 over the next year as we prepare additional farmlands from the available 3, 000Ha”, Engr. Ahmed added.
In his remark, the Chairman of Delta Flood Plain Irrigation Farmers Association Illah/Ebu, Barr. Raymos Guanah appealed to the Federal Government through the Minister to provide motorable roads in the farms, more irrigation facilities, farm houses/steads, tractors and harvesters, improved seeds and agro-chemicals, adding that the association would require training of their farmers, financial support and security against herds and rearers, while urging for sustenance of the irrigation facilities.