Rivers launches school farms, agri-business project

Rivers State has launched a school farm and agribusiness project aimed at kick-starting students interests in commercial farming across the state.

Launching the pilot scheme of the project at the Government Girls Secondary School (GGSS), Rumuokwuta in Obio/Akpor local government area of the state, Governor Nyesom Wike said the project will help in enhancing food security in Rivers State.

According to him, exposing students to the tenets of practical farming will encourage them to embrace commercial agriculture in the future.

He directed the state Onimim Jacks, Rivers state commissioner for Agriculture, to provide the necessary support to all the school  authorities involved in the school farming project.

“It is important to introduce school farms in different schools in the state.  We want to encourage our students to embrace practical agriculture,” Wike said.

He charged the management of GGSS, Rumuokwuta to ensure that all intruders were kept out of the institution.

The GGSS, Rumuokwuta is among  the pilot  schools  where the state government has been undertaking complete renovation for introduction of boarding system in all the three senatorial districts of the state.

Jacks said the state government will revive previously abandoned demonstration farms and seed multiplication centre’s in different local government area of the state.

She said in the next phase of the school farm/agri-business project, the state government would promote pilot farms in selected schools.

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