By Ayodele Oni

The Cross River State Government has floated a scheme to engage not less than 100,000 youths in agricultural ventures.

Described as a move to reduce the unemployment rate among its teeming youths, the State government has already flagged off the process of equipping young people with skills to assist them break even, especially in the value chain of agricultural and related productive enterprises.

The State Commissioner for Agriculture and Irrigation, Mr. Johnson Ebokpo Jnr explained that with their skill and potential, Cross River youths should easily become self-reliant rather than roaming the streets in search of white-collar jobs.

Unveiling the Scheme in Calabar, Ebokpo said it would navigate the Cross River out of what he considered multi-dimensional and biting poverty.

Describing it as ‘Project Grow’, the Commissioner told extension officers and other stakeholders at the agriculture value chain workshop that the Scheme had been in the pipeline long before the present administration came into office.

The commissioner stated that the Scheme focuses on boosting food production and raising the income of farmers.

“Through synergy with multilateral agencies, the Project Grow would leapfrog the state into the next level and establish an agro-economy from which thousands of people would be lifted out of multidimensional poverty.”

He disclosed that in the past 30 years, the state has regrettably been unable to have even 10 percent rise in the total output of its food production despite its vast arable land, several agricultural schemes and the huge sums of money invested in such programmes

“We are adopting the Michael Okpara model in our agricultural projects to maximize food production, eliminate wastes and put the state on the map of prosperity and Project Grow will achieve that purpose.”

The Commissioner, maintained that the project would position the state as one of the largest producers of sorghum, maize, cattle fodder, and rice, said.

“With the target of 20,000 hectares of land prepared for small holder farmers and 2,000 already started and the right ecology in place for the production of five value chain which include rice, cassava, aquatic culture, cattle fodder and maize, our governor, Senator Bassey Otu, is creating an economy that would produce billionaires and millionaire.”

Speaking on the Scheme, the Project Grow Director, Mr. Denis Ikpali, said it will address existing challenges in the agriculture sector that include farmers’ inability to access loan facilities from financial institutions, get right inputs, and acquire adequate knowledge on chemical application on farms.

Further highlighting the challenging issues within the agric sector, Ikpali said; “The risks involved in agricultural sector make banks unwilling to extend credit facility to farmers without collaterals.

“Project Grow is to close that gap because our state government has a credit scheme to the tone of N30 billion to guarantee genuine farmers to get loans. The credit is not a grant.”