LAGOS – The Niger State Government and the Federal Ministry of Youths Development have sealed an agreement to boost food security by involving corps members assigned to the state in agricultural tasks.

The Memorandom Of Understanding, MoU, was officially signed at the Government House in Minna on Tuesday. 

Governor Mohammed Umaru-Bago represented Niger State, and Dr. Jamila Bio-Ibrahim signed on behalf of the Ministry of Youth Development.

The governor mentioned that the MoU aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s goal for food security in Nigeria. He emphasized that the agreement aims to collaborate with NYSC to empower youth and enhance food production efforts.

Umaru-Bago, stating that 80% of Nigeria’s population comprises youth, urged them to explore agriculture for self-sustainability. 

He highlighted that the collaboration would allow the state to utilize the corps members’ additional workforce, noting the substantial agricultural value chain in need of more experts in the state.

The governor emphasized the state’s commitment to its agricultural transformation by constructing the largest greenhouse estate in Africa, capable of providing employment for one million individuals. 

Additionally, he revealed plans to establish 100 farm estates, with ongoing cultivation on 250,000 hectares of land spread across the 25 local government areas of the state.

Bio-Ibrahim earlier mentioned that the ministry had agreed to collaborate with the State on agriculture to enable NYSC to achieve self-sustainability amidst current economic shifts.

She praised the governor for his willingness to allocate substantial funds for the establishment of a suitable permanent NYSC camp in the state and for his dedicated efforts to prioritize the welfare of the corps members.