400 MANYINGA YOUTHS GET AGRO INPUTS

OVER 400 youths will receive farming inputs for the 2020/2021 farming season in Manyinga under the youth development strategy.

The programme is being implemented through the Ministry of Community Development and Social Services.

Manyinga District Commissioner, Geoffrey Malayiti, said this in an interview yesterday.

Mr Malayiti said the programme was aimed at empowering youth-headed homes, especially girls who want to venture into farming related activities.

"Yes, I can confirm that about 400 youths are expected to receive farming inputs for the 2020/2021 farming season under the youth development strategy programme," he said.

He said the youth development strategy was running side by side with the food security pack (FSP) in ensuring that youths were not left out in national development.

Mr Malayiti said that all youths in already established cooperatives and groups across the district would be captured.

"We are talking about viable but vulnerable youths who are involved or have a passion in agriculture, and have formed cooperatives," he said.

Boniface Mulenga, a local youth trainer and activist, applauded Government for extending the farming input empowerment programme to youths.

"The future of our country is in the youths and empowering them with farming inputs will improve the food security in the nation," Mr Mulenga said.

He said that the agriculture sector has proved to be a profitable and sustainable sector worth investing in.