Women and youths that were beneficiaries of the Commercial Agricutlture Development Progamme in Cross River State have expressed gratitude for the programme, which they said have changed their lives for the better.
The women and youths empowerment programme, which was launched in 2009 and would wind up on May 31, 2017 this year, is driven by the World Bank and the Federal Government to empower women and youths in the area of agro-business in five states.
In Cross River State 700 women and youths have benefitted from the programme, and were trained across he value chains of oil-palm, cocoa, rice, poultry and aqua-culture.
The beneficiaries were divided into three batches. The first batch of 100 who were trained from August to September 2015. According to the Project Coordinator in the state, Mr Duckham Ama, the first batch who had concluded their training at the Songhai Farms in Itighidi in Abi local government area were mobilized with N2.5 million each.
The first batch consisted of 46 women and 54 young men, while the second and third batches have 298 women and 302 young men.
The second and third batches trained from November and December last year received a higher sum of N3 million. According to the Coordinator, the money was non-refundable, but there were measures to ensure that beneficiaries do not use it for purposes other than what it was meant for.
Speaking at an interactive session between the media and beneficiaries of the project in Calabar, farmers who participated in the first batch described how the programme had changed their lives.
Mr Okon Augustine Ekeng, who is into fish farming said, “I am grateful for the World Bank for helping us to implement this. Today I am very successful person. You can see here I have my fresh and dry fish here. It is of high quality and hygienically prepared catfish that is free of sand and cancer free. What we use in drying it is smoke free. I thank God for what he has done and also went the CADP staff that helped us stand on our feet to also help the 600 batch that has just started.
“I have been able to employ two persons. I have a garden behind my fish farm, so the waste water goes there. Nothing is wasted.”
Also, Mr Elemi Williams, who is into rice farming said, “It has been wonderful. It started like a learning experience. But now I am experienced. I have gained knowledge and that has brought me to a level where I can bring a physical product for you to see as my product, not someone else’s product. I am into the native rice, which is totally de-stoned and is 100 per cent chaff free. It is our native rice. The passion is there. I see my future in this business. I see my dreams interpreted through this business the drive to do more is there. My dealing with the organizers have been wonderful in the sense that I had a passion for what I came for and used that passion in dealing with the people who funded this project. My dealing has been very sincere with them. My advise to the younger ones who are coming into doing it is for them to be sincere with themselves because if they are sincere the benefit of that sincerity will come.”
Mrs Okoma Bassey Edet, who is into oil-palm said, “we make our oil such that we remove the fatty acids and cholesterol to a very low level. With this programme, we see that it has helped the youths and women in terms of unemployment. I mean look at me now. I am making my own money. We are no longer sitting at home and just receiving from our husbands. We go out there to keep ourselves busy and reduce unemployment. For instance I employ two people for now and I am still believing God as the business keeps growing I will employ more. The business is improving.”
Ama urged the second and third batches of beneficiaries to be committed to the programme so their lives can be better. He said they were committed to the success of the programme.
Commissioner for Agriculture, Prof Anthony Eneji, was grateful for the programme and assured the state will do all it can to support it.
The Special Adviser on Agriculture, Yvonne Idem, said the governor, being an entrepreneur him, would do all can to support entrepreneurs.
She said the first batch had been fully implemented and were doing very well, and urged the second and third batches of beneficiaries to be serious as they were privileged to be the few chosen from so many.
She said under the program 55.77km of roads had been constructed to enable farmers bring out their products, reduce travel time and cost of transportation.
She urged beneficiaries to help build others.
