Paul Ikonne, Executive Secretary, National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA)
The National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA) has concluded the training of 269 pioneer soil doctors and extension service workers in Borno, on Tuesday.
The Executive Secretary of NALDA, Mr Paul Ikonne, who spoke at the closing ceremony in Maiduguri, said that the pioneer graduates, including 68 youth corps members, had been given requisite knowledge and skills in soil collection and analysis, as well as, render extension services to farmers.
Upon completing their training, he added, they were equipped with soil sample collection and analysis kits to help them with their job.
Brig.-Gen. Shuaibu Ibrahim, the Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), in his goodwill message said the training was laudable and that it came at the right time.
Ibrahim said the training came at a time when the Federal Government was pursuing its policy of diversification of the Nigerian economy, through harnessing the nation’s potentials in agriculture and other non-oil sectors.
He said, without any doubt, the initiative would make agriculture and allied activities more attractive to the Nigerian population, especially the youths.
He then advised the trained youths to judiciously apply the knowledge they acquired for the benefit of Nigeria.
“No doubt the activities of the young men and women, who are concluding their training today, would go a long way in enhancing agricultural productivity and profitability in Nigeria,” Ibrahim said.
Prof. Babagana Zulum, the Borno governor, in his address of welcome, stressed that the knowledge of soils for the purpose of cultivating any type of crop was far too important to be ignored.
Zulum said the training would go a long way in ensuring soil preservation and optimum utilisation of arable lands in the state.
He, therefore, thanked NALDA for the training, which would promote Agricultural productivity in the state, promising that his government will always support the Agency in ensuring the success of its programmes.
