By Newsmata
In its determination to address the problem of food insecurity, tackle climate change and promote horticulture in in Edo State, the state government has launched a catch-them-young campaign in its primary and secondary schools.
The state Coordinator, Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprise, Niger-Delta, (LIFE-ND) John Omoruyi, said on Wednesday that the programme which he said is in line with the policy drive of Governor Monday Okpbeholo, is to encourage students and pupils to embrace agriculture.
Omoruyi said the programme also targeted youths at the grassroots to ensure that the farming population is sustained. He said beyond setting up agricultural clubs in schools, the project intended planting 20,000 economic trees using secondary schools with the objective of promoting horticulture and climate change agriculture.
According to Omoruyi, “In conjunction with the ideology and objective of Governor Monday Okpebholo to ensure food security, we need to start from the grassroots because it is a community-based project. And to further ensure that the farming population is sustained by catching them young, “We are still going to strengthen the schools as soon as the rain sets in.
“The project targets to plant 20,000 economic trees using the secondary schools in collaboration with the management of the schools – 2,000 per school, and at the end, we would get 20,000 and support the Edo State government in terms of forestry and environmental management. In essence, the LIFE-ND project is a total support to the ideology of the Edo State government to support food security and promote agriculture”.
Speaking in the same vein, Edo State LIFE-ND, Nutrition mainstreaming Specialist, Romanius Alike, lamented that the passion for agriculture, especially among young people, was dying, noting that the idea is to change the narrative among students and pupils in public schools.
Alike said the project had commenced in Uzebba Grammar School, Owan West local government area; Arazuwa Primary School, Ovia North East local government; Oghomeri Primary School, Etsako Central local government area; Comprehensive High School, Ekpedo , Akoko Edo local government area; and Igbanke Grammar School , Orhionmwon local government area of the state.
“So, we want to change that narrative and that is why we are catching them young to develop interest in agriculture. The initiative is to set up gardens in five public schools across the three senatorial zones in the state. We select JS1 to SS3, so, in total, we have 72 students per school.
“In the five schools, we have 360 students. Some farmers in the community are also involved, and we provided them with improved seedlings. The garden will be a demonstration plot for other students to learn from, and we have also discussed with the director of school services to key into the project”.