Bayelsa State government has said it would support trainees of its Soilless Farming Scheme in order to boost food production and food security in the state.
Governor Douye Diri stated this on Wednesday 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 Master Card.
Governor Diri said his administration placed high premium on food security and was working towards producing food not only for Bayelsans but beyond 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 of the Commissioners for Agriculture, Finance and Youth Development had been set up to ensure the trainees practiced what they learnt.
He urged them to make good use of their training to become self-employed and also train others.
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 Bayelsa people and even beyond. You are our next generation of technical farmers in our state.
“Let me appreciate MasterCard that organised this training and the Commissioner for Youths that 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 badly, then there will be no need to continue to train others.
“For others to benefit depends on you. So your request has been 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 the application of the training would enhance the quest for food security in the state.
Also speaking, one of the beneficiaries, Tari Adamawa, stated that they were trained in farming techniques that require the use of any available space.
She said as pioneers of soilless farming from Bayelsa, they were ready to put the knowledge acquired into practice to enhance food security in the state.