Jigawa Launches 200-Hectare Date Palm Plantation, Trains 400 Youths to Tackle Unemployment and Desertification

The Jigawa State Government has unveiled a major agricultural initiative aimed at job creation and environmental protection, with 400 youths trained to establish a 200-hectare date palm plantation across the state.

Speaking at the graduation ceremony of the beneficiaries on Monday at the Yakubu Gowon NYSC Orientation Camp, Fanisau, Governor Umar Namadi said the programme would equip young people with technical knowledge, financial backing, and resources to build sustainable livelihoods.

Each participant will manage half a hectare containing 200 date palm trees, collectively creating a vast plantation designed to boost incomes, diversify Jigawa’s economy, and help fight desertification.

Financial Support and Resources

Governor Namadi explained that beyond training, the government would pay each beneficiary a monthly allowance for two years, while also providing industrial boreholes and other inputs to ease their transition into profitable farming.

“The monthly allowance for two years is designed to support the youths while they develop their farms into profitable ventures,” he said.

He added that date palm cultivation, already a part of Jigawa’s agricultural heritage, offered both economic and environmental benefits.

Targeting Rural Development

The trainees were selected equally from Birniwa, Yankwashi, Babura, and Sule Tankarkar Local Government Areas, with the governor stressing that the scheme was part of his administration’s wider vision of making Jigawa a hub for sustainable farming and youth empowerment.

“We want to empower our youths to be self-reliant and contribute positively to the state’s economy. Government support will not stop here; we will continue to create jobs and promote agriculture as a viable source of income,” Namadi assured.

Beneficiaries Speak

Several beneficiaries hailed the project as life-changing.

Aminu Musa from Birniwa LGA said: “This programme has given me hope and a real chance to support my family. I am excited to start cultivating date palms and build a better future.”

Similarly, Yusuf Sani from Babura LGA said: “Before this, I had no clear source of income, but now, with the skills and monthly support, I can confidently plan for my future.”

The training covered best practices in planting, nurturing, and managing date palm trees, with officials expressing optimism that the project would set a new benchmark for youth empowerment and environmental sustainability in the state.