The Jigawa State Government has reiterated its commitment to youth empowerment as part of its development drive. Governor Umar Namadi made this known during the graduation ceremony of over 400 youths trained on hybrid date production and processing held in Dutse, the state capital.
Speaking at the event, Governor Namadi said the initiative is in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and also aligns with his own 12-Point Agenda for Jigawa State. He urged the beneficiaries to remain committed to the skills they have acquired in order to achieve the objectives of the programme.
According to the state coordinator of the Nigeria Institute for Oil-Palm Research (NIFOR), Alhaji Abdulhamid Mohammed Hamza, the seedlings used in the training are hybrid and have high production potential. He explained that each seedling can produce over 70 kilos initially and, if well managed, can generate up to 7 million naira monthly.
“Jigawa state soil has the natural gift of producing date fruits twice a year, whereas many countries only produce once annually,” he stated. He further noted that the state’s investment in agriculture and job creation through farming would help curb what he described as the Japan syndrome among Jigawa youths.
Abdulhamid also expressed the readiness of NIFOR to work with all stakeholders to further strengthen date palm production across the state.
Chairman of the project committee, Alhaji Mustapha Makama, said the first batch of the training programme had recorded success due to the commitment of Governor Namadi towards agriculture and youth empowerment.
He disclosed that about 10,000 hybrid seedlings have already been secured for the project, stressing that the long-term benefits of the initiative would last for the next 100 years and beyond. Makama added that more batches of training are underway, with over 2,000 youths expected to participate.
In his remarks, the Director General of the State Institute of Research, Dr Sulaiman Rufai, commended the state government for establishing the committee and pushing forward with the agricultural initiative. He said the government has allocated more than 1,040 hectares of land for the project and has a target of training over 2,000 youths in date production.
Some of the beneficiaries shared their experience, noting that they learned how date palm can be processed into juice, syrup, powder, and even coffee from the seeds. They expressed optimism that the skills acquired will help them create job opportunities and contribute to the economic growth of Jigawa State.