Kaduna State Government Partners Firm To Boost Agric Entrepreneurship
The Kaduna State Government has partnered with the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) to reduce poverty and increase the number of Agri-entrepreneurs in the state.
This was disclosed by the Director of Youth Development, Kaduna State Ministry of Human Services and Social Development, Hajiya Maryam Muazu, at a policy dialogue on, “Prevention of Violent Extremism- Centered Policy Brief Dissemination Roundtable,” organized in by ActionAid Nigeria and Global Peace Development in Kaduna.
The director said the new partnership will provide youths with the necessary training and resources to become agriculture entrepreneurs, thereby helping to reduce poverty and unemployment in Nigeria.
According to her, “We are waiting for a response from NEPAD for youth to get land from the government and farm in order to become agriculture entrepreneurs. The programme is about reducing poverty and unemployment. We are looking at least 2,000 youth; they might even be above that number.We are among the 16 pilot states slated for that programme. Kaduna State government has provided the enabling environment; youth have been trained from the 23 LGAs across the three senatorial zones. Their names have been given to NEPAD, we are expecting them to go through the list, what we are waiting for is the grants.”
On his part, the programme Coordinator, ActionAid Nigeria, Anicetus Atakpu pointed out that the programme is a viable one as it will assist in curbing crimes in the country that are often perpetrated by youths.
His words: “The youth perpetrate 95 per cent of every crime, or violence that took place in Nigeria is perpetrated by the youth. All the conflicts, even banditry, kidnapping carried out mostly by youth between 16-30 years mainly due to unemployment, perceived marginalization and other factors.”
The Project Officer, Kaduna ActionAid Nigeria, Mr. Cornelius Shija said the 50 participants for the dialogue were drawn from Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), youth groups, Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDA’s) as well as security agencies.
Agro Nigeria
