The Bayelsa State government has said it would support trainees of its Soilless Farming Scheme to boost food production and food security.
Governor Douye Diri stated this yesterday when he received 180 soilless farming trainees inside the Executive Council Chambers in Government House, Yenagoa.
The farmers were trained in Ogun State by the Bayelsa government in collaboration with MasterCard.
Governor Diri said his administration prioritised food security and was working towards producing food not only for Bayelsans but also for those outside the state.
The governor said the trainees had a great role to play in technical farming in the state and tasked them not to disappoint the government.
He stated that a committee comprising the commissioners for agriculture, finance and youth development had been set up to ensure the trainees practised what they learnt.
He urged them to make good use of their training to become self-employed and train others.
In a statement by the chief press secretary, Daniel Alabrah, the Bayelsa helmsman equally applauded MasterCard and the Commissioner for Youth Development for facilitating the programme.
He said, “We know the importance of agriculture and food, and we want to produce food to feed the Bayelsa people and even beyond. You are the next generation of technical farmers in our state.
“Let me appreciate MasterCard, which organised this training, and the commissioner for youths, who brought it to my attention and sought my approval.
“We believe that you will not disappoint this government and your state. If you do well, then we will continue by also training more of you. But if you do poorly, then there will be no need to continue to train others.
“For others to benefit depends on you. So, your request was granted long before you made it today. I thank you for representing Bayelsa positively outside the state. We hope and pray that you will do well and make money for yourselves.”
Earlier, the commissioner for youth development, Alfred Kemepado, thanked the governor for approving the training of the youths.
He expressed optimism that applying the training would enhance food security in the state.
Also speaking, one of the beneficiaries, Tari Adamawa, stated that they were trained in farming techniques that require using any available space.
She said that as pioneers of soilless farming in Bayelsa, they were ready to put the knowledge they had acquired into practice to enhance food security in the state.
