By Daniel Tyokua
The FCT Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat (ARDS) has trained about six hundred youths in greenhouse crop production across the territory.
They were trained on practical skills in Green-house farming technology, targeted at propelling them to gainfully venture into agriculture sector.
At the commencement of the training in Gwagwalada Area Council, the FCT Agric secretariat Secretary, Mallam Abubakar Ibrahim said the scheme is in line with one of the policies thrust of the FCT Administration, predicated on unearthing the abundant potential of the agriculture sector in the Territory.
The youth who were drawn from the FCT Agriculture based youth groups across the six Area Councils were trained in capacity building on Green-house management practices.
Ibrahim noted that ARDS veered into the Greenhouse crop production in 2020 as a pilot project mainly for demonstration purposes for FCT youth, which has been metamorphosed into a venture with huge commercial benefits.
“This is part of Mr. President’s call for us the agencies and ministries to lift millions of Nigerians out of poverty, So we are introducing a new technology (Green House farming in the FCT, it is an all-year round programme to encourage our youth and women to venture into agriculture sector.
“We all know that, everyday the population of Abuja is increasing as people from all walks of life come to look for jobs, and we don’t have the jobs. This is why we are introducing this new technology.
In her remarks , the Director Agric Services, Mrs Ihekandu Francisca explained that greenhouse technology is a new method of rapid multiplication of crop commodities under controlled climate and environmental factors for increase in crop yield.
She added that the training will empower farmers, ensure self-sufficiency in sustainable agriculture, reduce youth restiveness, rural-urban youth drift, create jobs and alleviate poverty in the Territory.
