By Tina George, Minna
The International Fund for Agriculture (IFAD) Value Chain Development Programme (IFAD-VCDP) has trained 120 youths from Enugu, Kogi and Nasarawa states in rice seed production technologies.
The young seed entrepreneurs were trained for two months in Niger state.
The national programme coordinator, Dr Ameh Onoja said at the closing ceremony in Badeggi, Niger state that the training was necessary to meet up the demand for quality rice seed by farmers.
He said that the youths would become producers of certified seeds which would go a long way to improve the yield of rice farmers.
“The farmers’ yield has been very low and we have discovered that it is because of the wrong practices in which the farmers engage in especially while procuring seeds. This is why VCDP thought it necessary to train youths who will be producers of certified seeds within their communities so that the farmers can have access to quality seeds and will increase their harvest.”
Onoja, who was represented by the Niger state Knowledge Management Specialist, Mr Thomas Yisa said that farmers can have up to six metric tonnes of rice per hectare if they used the right seeds for planting.
He further said that 120 youths have earlier been trained in six states, adding that with this set, there would be 240 seed entrepreneurs across Nigeria.
The training coordinator, Mr Abraham Shuiabu said that the demand for rice seed is more than the supply which has led to the adulteration of seeds which in turn reduces the quality of yield a farmer harvests.
“The demand for rice seed in the country is on the increase and there are no adequate seed requirements to meet up the demand. The participants are being trained to meet up this demand.”
He said that the trainees learnt about good agronomical services; land preparation, how to face the challenges of poor yield amongst others.
Shuiabu urged the participants to invest in what they have been trained and be employers of labour adding that their activities would be monitored and only those who perform well would be given further assistance.
The 120 rice seed entrepreneurs were supported with start-up packs of seeds and fertilizer which would help them with their first production after which they would be expected to run the business as an enterprise.
