September 01, (THEWILL) – As part of its strategic approach to revolutionise agriculture in Yobe State, the State Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, in partnership with Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL), has trained 178 agricultural extension workers selected across the 17 Local Government Areas the state.
Speaking during the opening ceremony of the two-day workshop in Damaturu, the Commissioner, Ministry of Agriculture, Hon. Ali Mustapha Goniri, revealed that the training programme was part of the recommendations of the State Agric Revitalisation Committee.
Goniri maintained that extension service delivery is key to the effective dissemination of new agricultural innovation to the doorstep of the peasant farmers by way of information transmission. He added that the administration of Governor Mai Mala Buni has invested a lot in the area of agriculture.
“The State Government has invested well over N15 billion this year to procure inputs and equipment under the Agricultural Revitalization Programme in the state. These inputs and equipment were distributed free of charge to selected beneficiaries across the 17 LGAs in the state,” he said.
The Commissioner added that all 178 extensions and their supervisors will be supported with a brand new motorcycle to facilitate their movement while undertaking their jobs.
In his welcome address, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr. Musa Abba Kolere, charged the newly engaged extension workers to be good ambassadors of their locality and step down the knowledge to their respective farmers.
Also speaking, the State Project Coordinator, ACReSAL, Yobe, Shehu Alhaji Mohammed, informed the trainees that ACReSAL, in partnership with relevant MDAs, would continue to provide capacity-building to the agricultural extension workers to fit in with the modern techniques and climate-smart agriculture.
According to Mohammed, ACReSAL agriculture is more attractive when it brings more profit and produces less harm to the environment.
Resource persons at the event took the participants through different topics including, introduction to extension, extension methodology and approach, general extension service, characteristics, communication, e-extension service delivery, introduction to farmer field school, and agri-business among others.
I am Ladi Dapson, a general writer with thewill. I cover Borno and Yobe states respectively.
I based Maiduguri, Borno State Capital.
I can be reached via [email protected].
Very high and kind regards!
