Edo farmers, USAID train 1000 youths, women on aquaculture

 As part of deliberate policy towards the development of the agricultural sector, Edo State Cooperative Farmers Agency (ESCFA) said it has trained over 1000 youths and women on best aquaculture farming practicing in the state.

 

Nosa Amayo, president of the agency made the disclosure in an exclusive interview with BusinessDay in Benin City.

 

Amayo said the training was conducted in partnership with USAID markets 11.

 

He added that the fishermen were trained in Ikpoba Okha, Oredo, Ovia northeast, Owan East local government areas and its environs in Edo North senatorial district. He explained that 250 youths and women were trained in each of the local government areas.

 

The president noted that the training empowerment is gradually turning the state into fish hub in the South- South geopolitical zone as fish consumers now troop the state from Warri, Calabar, Port Harcourt and Ughelli among others, to Benin to buy fish.

 

While urging youths to embrace fish farming, he noted that the agency would soon commence goat farming, snail rearing, and piggery among others in the state.

 

Amayo who said the agency has 980 primary cooperative sites spread across the 18 local government areas of the state added that they are into different kinds of farming ranging from arable crops, cash crops, livestock and fisheries.

 

He further posited that the body is also into cultivation of watermelon, rice, maize, cassava, yam, cocoyam, vegetables as well as soya beans at Edo North, sorghum and sesame seeds.