Gov. Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State has re-iterated his administration’s commitment to youth empowerment through agriculture.

Speaking at the opening of a one-week training programme and inauguration of “Profarmers and Agropreneurs Sustainable Scheme, for recently engaged 280 graduates, Mimiko tasked the graduates to show commitment and absolute dedication to the programme, warning that anyone found wanting would be shown the way out.

“Agriculture provides the best avenue for employment and wealth generation aside oil and gas. “Let me state clearly that youth empowerment through agriculture is part of this administration’s policies aimed at engaging youths in productive venture,” he said.

He said four agro-business cities with state-of-the-art facilities, comprising hostel accommodation for more than 1,000 youths, dams, fish ponds and poultry houses, had been established in the state’s three senatorial districts.

Mimiko restated his determination to key into Federal Government’s programmes such as Growth Enhancement Scheme and Cassava Value Chain Programme.

He said the government had started clearing 1000 hectares of land at Ore for use by profarmers out of which 500 hectares would be used for rice project in collaboration with its Malaysian partners.

The governor also said that about one million oil palm seedlings were being transplanted from the nursery to plantations in Ore under the state’s oil palm revolution.

According to him, the cocoa plantation in Oda is being revitalised to facilitate establishment of the state’s chocolate academy.

Earlier, Mrs Bola Olafunmiloye, the chairperson of the state’s wealth creation agency, said  each graduate would receive N30,000 monthly.