NAF empowers 200 youth in fish farming in Kaduna
The Nigerian Air Force has empowered 200 youth under the Barracks Youth Employment through Agriculture (BYETA) on fish farming in Kaduna.
The Air Officer Commanding, Air Training Command, Kaduna, AVM Mohammed Idris, said BYETA was initiated in 2016 by the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar to curb social vices and youth restiveness in various NAF bases.
Idris said BYETA is an agricultural empowerment scheme set to empower youth economically, adding that it was also “aimed at promoting agriculture and employment among the youths in line with the Federal Government’s Green Alternative Agenda.
“Today’s ceremony is an additional drive of the NAF leadership’s resolve to develop the capacity of personnel and our children and also to give high priority to their welfare,” he said.
Idris said the initiative would be self-sustaining through cooperative groups, incomegeneration and production of food. He explained that the scheme is focused on four key areas: fishery, poultry, animal husbandry and crop production, adding that participants were registered under societies.
“These include youth crop farmers’ cooperative society, youth fish farmers, youth poultry farmers and livestock farmers’ cooperative society.
He advised the beneficiaries to be open minded to enable them learn and undertake the venture with seriousness and dedication.
“We shall continue to explore other agricultural supports from government agencies and corporate farmers for various forms of assistance in terms of loans, seedlings, implements, feeds and any other support available,” he said. (NAN) four cooperative