The Jigawa government has trained 400 unemployed youths in hybrid date palm production and processing to provide them with a means of livelihood and reduce the state’s unemployment rate.

Governor Umar Namadi disclosed this at the graduation ceremony of the trained youths at the NYSC Orientation Camp in Dutse on Monday, stating that the initiative aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu.

The chairman of the project committee and Jigawa State chief of staff, Mustapha Makama, expressed delight at the success of the first batch of the project.

He stated that the state government’s commitment to boosting agriculture and youth empowerment gave rise to the project.

According to Mr Makama, about 10,000 hybrid seedlings have been secured for the project, which would benefit the youths and the state.

“Governor Namadi has ordered that free seedlings should be planted, free watering materials and free mentorship be offered to the trained youths,” he said.

He, however, revealed that more batches of the training were underway, adding that more than 2,000 youths were expected to benefit from the programme.

The Jigawa State coordinator of the Nigeria Institute for Oil Palm Research (NIFOR), Abdulhamid Hamza, explained that hybrid seedlings were used for the project.

“The seedlings can produce over 70 kilos for a start and can generate N7 million monthly if well taken care of,” the coordinator said.

Mr Hamza said the efforts of the state government in providing job opportunities through farming were to inculcate the spirit of doggedness among Jigawa youths.

The director-general of the Jigawa State Institute of Research, Sulaiman Rufai, commended the Namadi administration for the project.

He revealed that the government had offered 1,042 hectares of land and aimed to train 2,084 youths in the project.

Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Musa Abdullahi said,“We have all learnt that date palm can be processed in four varieties of juice, syrup, powder, and the seeds can produce coffee.”

(NAN)