Kwara Central Senator Launches Multi-Million-Naira Farming Workshop to Empower Youth, Women
Saliu Mustapha, the Senator representing Kwara Central in the National Assembly, has launched a multi-million-naira capacity-building and empowerment workshop aimed at boosting dry-season farming and the horticultural value chains for youth and women in his constituency.
The workshop, which began on Thursday, November 14th at the Lower Niger River Basin Development Authority in Ilorin, is being facilitated by the National Horticultural Research Institute (NIHORT) in collaboration with Gemstone Integrated Farm Nigeria Ltd.
The initiative is designed to provide participants with the knowledge and practical skills needed to enhance productivity, improve food security, and generate job opportunities within the agricultural sector.
The training, which targets participants from the four local governments of Kwara Central, focuses on imparting technical skills in dry-season farming as well as practical knowledge of the horticultural value chain. The senator, represented by his legislative aide, Tunde Abdulkadir, assured the participants that the initiative would not only provide them with valuable training but also equip them with the necessary tools and resources to implement what they had learned. Mustapha expressed confidence that the program would help the beneficiaries become self-sufficient and contribute to the development of Kwara’s agricultural economy.
Joel Akindele Akinfasoye, a representative from NIHORT, praised the program as a significant opportunity for participants, noting that the cost of similar training would have been far higher for each beneficiary. He commended Senator Mustapha for prioritizing the empowerment of his constituents and urged him to continue his efforts in supporting local agriculture. Akinfasoye also encouraged participants to take full advantage of the training and apply the knowledge gained in their farming practices.
Beneficiaries of the program, such as Abdulrasaq Fatimah from Asa local government area and Aduagaba Faruq Olaitan from Ilorin South, expressed gratitude for the opportunity. Fatimah noted that the skills and resources provided would help her become self-employed and create new income streams, while Olaitan shared that the training had provided him with valuable insights into dry-season farming techniques and horticultural best practices, which would help maximize yield and profitability in his farming ventures.
