Lagos State government has reiterated its commitment to broaden capacity and stimulate the interest of youths in the agriculture sector through intensive training and skill acquisition programmes.
The commissioner for Agriculture, Hon. Toyin Suarau stated this during his working visit to the designated camp of the Agriculture Summer School programme for Secondary Schools.
He added that the Agric-Yes Summer School Programme was introduced by the government to provide secondary school students with the technical skills through an on-farm practical teaching and field demonstrations.
Suarau explained that the two-week intensive training programme will empower students and make them understand the benefits inherent in agriculture as a money making venture and not as subsistence as most people perceived it.
Suarau noted the state government introduced the system in riverine communities as a tool of youth empowerment to promote fish farming. He stressed that a lot of youths in riverine communities have shown interest in the initiative.
“Presently in Agbowa, 60 participants are currently undergoing training on how to make floating cages, nets and fish farming right on the natural water bodies. This system will save them the cost of pond construction, stress of changing water and sorting because the fishes will be in their natural environment”, he added.
The commissioner hinted that the participants will be trained for at least four months after which they are expected to harvest the first set of fish, before they are empowered by the government to make a living out of the acquired knowledge.
