By Nsan Ndoma-Neji, Calabar
A solution oriented civil society organisation, Solidaridad West Africa, on Friday in Calabar, completed the training of 48 youths in climate smart and sustainable oil palm cultivation.
The 48 youths, drawn from four Nigerian states of Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Kogi and Enugu, under the National Initiative for Sustainable and Climate Smart Agriculture in Oil Palm Production can duly go into oil palm production and other crops in the agriculture value chain.
In a brief chat with our correspondent in Calabar yesterday, shortly after the training workshop, Solidaridad Programme Manager, Oil Palm Nigeria, Mr. Kene Onukwube, stated that the trainees have been with them for over 18 months.
Onukwube, stressed that best management practices would be brought to bear in oil palm production to boost the yield and increase income for oil palm farmers.
Onukwube said, “We are bringing together people we have coached and mentored for the past one and a half years through our agricultural academy.
“We are training some in producing oil palm seedlings, it’s all climate smart.
“We are bringing in best management practices for farmers to up their yield to at least 7.5 to 10 tonnes per hectre, which before used to be 2 to 2.5 metric tonnes per hectre.”
Stressing that the trainees will also be empowered so that during the oil palm off season, they will also be generating income, Ojukwu added, “For those who will benefit from Diverse Livelihood Support, we are looking at innovative horticulture, where they are producing vegetables in an attractive way and modelled after the modular green house type.
“They will do it in their own way that is sustainable, some of them will go through soil-less agriculture.”
He further averred that each of the beneficiaries who had undergone the capacity training exercise will be given N150,000 each as starter pack to begin their own businesses.
The project manager maintained that they decided to anchor the programme during the period when the International Youths Day has been marked, since large percentage of beneficiaries are youths.
Speaking on the theme: Innovations for Transforming Food Systems, the Project Manager charged beneficiaries of the programm to remain resolute and use the starter packs made available to them wisely in order to multiply yields and transform the food systems.
