Chevron Nigeria Limited through the Partnership Initiative in the Niger Delta (PIND) has launched Youths Cassava Enterprise Project with 40 graduates to pilot the scheme in Ondo state.
The project is in partnership with the states Wealth Creation Agency (WECA).
Director, Deepwater and Production Sharing Contracts of Star Deep Water Petroleum Limited, Jeffery Ewing said the project is an economic empowerment programmer aimed at developing and encouraging young Nigerians to go into farming and make it a career and a business.”
“We believe the cassava project will have a tremendous impact on the youths in Ondo state through employment creation, poverty reduction, skill acquisition and livelihood improvement.
Ewing added that it will also “ support the development of rural cottage industries to ensure the growth of the local economy.
“This will no doubt boost the government’s efforts in making agriculture a significant revenue yielding sector in the country.
The program Director of PIND , Dr Dara Akala said the 40 selected youths to pilot the project are meant to become a new class of farmers adding that”our farmers are aging, hence the need to replace them with professionals.
Governor Olusegun Mimiko while launching the project said that the commitment of his administration towards the development of agriculture and tackle youths unemployment through various agricultural initiatives have attracted the interest of a lot of private organisation to partner with the state.
