News Editor
From Dooshima Terkura Makurdi
Benue state Agricultural Development Company, ADC, is organising a live television programme for youths in Benue State to express their talent in the agricultural value chain.
The two day Saturday January 11th and Sunday January 12th programme, tagged ‘Food Value Hunt’, is an initiative of Governor Hyacinth Alia through the ADC, and will have a total of 120 youths from across the state participating.
According to the Managing Director of ADC, Mr Donald Akule, the auditioning for the programme has commenced.
He said that the participants will be empowered through mentorship, training, soft loans and grants.
“The food value hunt is a brain child of his Excellency Rev Fr. Dr Hyacinth Alia. He is interested in seeing that young minds and young people that are in the agricultural value chain have talent and skills and are willing to project it to add value to the state.
“He has powered this initiative and the Benue state Agricultural company is driving it through it’s partners,. State and non-state actors are partnering with the ADC to see that this dream of harnessing these young people come through. We are going to capture one hundred and twenty of these persons,” Akule said.
“In a bold move to harness the potential of Benue State’s youth and promote sustainable agricultural development, the Fr. Hyacinth Alia has launched the “Food Value Hunt” initiative. This groundbreaking project, powered by the Agricultural Development Company (ADC), aims to identify, nurture, and empower young agricultural entrepreneurs aged 10-35.
The “Food Value Hunt” is more than just a competition but a movement designed to awaken the entrepreneurial spirit of Benue’s young people. By providing a platform for them to showcase their innovative ideas, skills, and passion for agriculture, the initiative seeks to foster a culture of entrepreneurship and innovation in agriculture, Develop the skills and knowledge of young agricultural entrepreneurs, Promote sustainable agricultural practices and food security
– Create employment opportunities and stimulate economic growth
The “Food Value Hunt” initiative takes a holistic approach to agricultural development, focusing on the entire value chain from production to processing, marketing, and consumption. By engaging and harnessing young people in this process, the initiative aims to create a new generation of agricultural leaders who are equipped to drive sustainable growth and development in the sector,” the ADC Boss said.
He explained that the live tv programme will come up in the course of the year.
“We are currently having auditioning and we are getting our foot on the gas pedal and have taken off already”, he said, and appreciated the support coming from the media, government officials and organisations towards the success of the talent hunt.
“We will have twelve episodes, each episode will feature ten people. These people will be empowered through the various empowerment schemes that we have made available. They will win star prizes and a lot of things.
“We will also have a participatory audience. The audience will be an interactive audience. They will also be empowered, be it business people or young people. We are targeting an audience of 400 people within the ages of 18-35 and a VIP of 100 people. Some of these participatory audience will be sponsored. This show is a ticket show and most of them will be sponsored to get the ticket at a very low cost to be part of the show.”
Akule also said in the course of the programme, the people of Benue will be exposed to the opportunities offered by the Bank of Industry, the loan and grant facility made available by the state government, and the database for them to access opportunities in the agricultural sector.
The managing director added that the overall objective “is to enable people that have talent but are not able to show it, those who have a voice but are not able to speak, either in Tiv, Idoma or Igede.
“Speak the way you can speak and express. That your unique or distinguishing idea that you have been able to start as a start up or you have a skill or a start up or you want to do agriculture as a business, this is platform that will give them the visibility they need.”
He emphasised that Governor Alia is projecting a leadership of integrity, and is willing to give back to the people that have given him the mandate to administer the state.
” He is harnessing the resources of the state and using it to empower this generation and the upcoming generation of Benue people,” the ADC managing director stressed.
