Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri on Thursday warned that the government might terminate its partnership with MasterCard on the soilless farming program.
Soilless farming program, also known as hydroponics or soilless cultivation, is a method of growing plants without soil, this process requirers that nutrient required for growth are supplied through other means.
Diri revealed this while hosting 180 soilless farming trainees in the Executive Council Chambers at Government House, Yenagoa.
The farmers were trained in Ogun State by the state government in collaboration with Master Card.
He said it was necessary to support trainees of its soilless farming scheme in order to boost food production and food security in the state.
He however warned that the program’s continuation is dependent on the trainees outputs.
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.”
Diri emphasized his administration placed high premium on food security and is working towards producing food not only for Bayelsans but beyond the state.
He reiterated that the trainees had a great role to play in technical farming in the state, further tasking them not to disappoint the government.
He noted that a committee comprising 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 Commissioner for Youth Development, Alfred Kemepado, expressed optimism that the application of the training would enhance the quest for food security in the state, in a statement by the Chief Press Secretary, Daniel Alabrah.
Bayelsa Govt Supports 180 Soilless Farmers To Boost Food Production is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
Source: The Whistler
