Over 1,000 farmers from different communities in Afikpo/ South Federal Constituency, Ebonyi State were at the weekend trained and empowered by the member representing the constituency, Hon. Iduma Igariwey.
Iduma Igariwey.The farmers including youths and women were trained in watermelon, cucumber, tomatoes, fishery and vegetable production.
They were given cash each after the training for the production of the crops.
Igariwey said that the training became necessary to acquaint the farmers with emerging methods of farming that will improve their output.
" My people are mainly subsistence farmers, so we have a responsibility to update their knowledge on new ways of doing their business.
"I observed that some crops like cucumber and watermelon can do well on Afikpo soil, we decided to start our 2023 empowerment programme by inviting agric extension professionals to impart knowledge on how to plant the crops to our farmers", he stated.
Igariwey explained that the timing of the training was to enable the farmers to apply the knowledge they acquired in the upcoming farming season.
He promised to further support 25 per cent of the farmers who would put the knowledge of the training into practice.
One of the trainers, Dr Cynthia Nwobodo, said that she was impressed by how the farmers received the training.
"We met people that are willing to learn new ways of doing things, and we are ready to assist them even beyond the training period", Nwobodo, a Lecturer in the Department of Agricultural Extension, University of Nigeria, Nsukka said.
She said the beneficiaries of the training are expected to cascade the knowledge to other farmers in their various communities.
One of the beneficiaries of the training, Mrs, Nnam Chineyenwa Egwu, thanked Igariwey for allowing them to learn how to plant new crops which they initially thought were impossible to grow in Afikpo.
"Before now, I didn't know how to plant watermelon, tomatoes, and cucumber and start my fish farm. This training is an eye opener; the best empowerment programme I have participated in. Help me to say thank you to Okpudo for bringing this training to us"
