The Kogi state government has promised support to over 2,000 youths and women rice farmers in the state, under an out-growers initiative.
Rashida Bello, Wife of the Governor, made this known recently at the Ejiba Rice Mill while meeting with women and youths who participated in the Omi Dam Rice Farming Out-Growers programme.
Bello expressed excitement at the level of involvement of women in the scheme which was launched last year in conjunction with the Kogi State Ministry of Agriculture and Agri Integrated Service Africa Limited.
“Based on the reception and the willingness I have seen in our people to go back to farming, our program will be enrolling 2,000 women and youth out-growers for the next wet season farming, come April. So please make sure you enrol for the program and fully participate in order to get all the benefits that will come after,” she said.
“I have received a lot of positive feedback and I am happy that our women and youths are gradually embracing farming and are benefiting immensely from the Rice Mill project being established in Ejiba,” she added.
“My husband, Governor Yahaya Bello, saw the potential of the Omi Dam and the huge farming opportunities and job creation that can be derived from the farmland if fully developed. As such, he made a promise not to allow the place to lie fallow and now we have a 50-ton per day rice milling plant that can process over 2,500 tons of paddy rice per month in Ejiba.
“My office did not hesitate to utilise the opportunities the rice mill has brought to the people of Ejiba by empowering our women and youths to continuously grow paddy rice that will be processed at the mill.
“I believe with this intervention, Ejibaland will be a rice-farming hub, and the women and youths of Ejiba will go to all other local governments in Kogi State to train our women and youths on the best practice in rice farming,” she added.
Bello stated that only 75 people enrolled for the project last year because of the past experiences of empowerment programs, saying that things are now different, as the governor had delivered on his promises.
She urged women and youths in the community to join hands with the government in pushing its vision in making Ejiba land, the home of rice farmers.
Victoria Nnakiaike, Lokoja
