First Graduate Farmers Scheme Takes Off Today

             
In its effort to ensure food security in the country, the federal government is flagging off the first Graduate Farmers’ Scheme today.

The minister of water resources, Engr. Suleiman Adumu, will flag off the programme at Kampe Irrigation Scheme (Ejiba), Yagba West Local Government Area of Kogi State.

LEADERSHIP recalls that the federal government had, in June, 2016 signed an agreement with the Songhai Nigeria Farmers’ Graduate Employment Scheme/Farm Settlement Schemes.

The scheme, which is expected to enhance the capacity of the River Basin Development Authorities to improve agriculture and food security, would be located in each of the 109 senatorial districts.

According to the director, River Basin Operations and Inspection of the ministry, Dr Musa Ibrahim, the project is anchored by the Lower Niger Basin Development Authority.

Also yesterday, the federal government yesterday said it would begin its national home-grown school feeding programme in September, this year, covering 5.5 million pupils across the country.

The national programme manager, Mrs Abimbola Adesanmi, stated this at a two-day stakeholders’ workshop on the Ogun State home-grown school feeding programme, in Abeokuta, the state capital.

She said the government had resolved to commence the programme in September, adding that it would accommodate pupils in Primary 1 to 3 at the first phase.

According to Mrs Adesanmi, all the states of the federation, depending on their preparedness, would benefit from the social intervention programme.

She explained that, with the workshop, the Ogun State government would be able to define a state model that will be cost effective and sustainable in the state.

Also speaking, the state governor Senator Ibikunle Amosun, said 200,000 pupils in 1,554 public primary schools across Ogun state will benefit from the federal government’s National Home Grown School Feeding Programme (NHGSFP) launched in Abeokuta, the state capital yesterday.

The governor who explained that NHGSFP would be executed in collaboration with the federal government, also disclosed that the programme is a federal government’s social intervention programme aimed at creating a safety net for the highly vulnerable children from poor homes to feed on a free, nutritionally balanced meal daily while in school.