Jigawa Government said about 10,000 youths in the state would be engaged in the cultivation of rice during the 2018 farming season.

Alhaji Jamilu Dan-Malam, the Special Assistant to Gov. Muhammad Badaru stated this during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Dutse on Wednesday.

According to him, the cultivation is under the Accelerated Agricultural Development Scheme (AADS) introduced by the Federal Government as part of its youth self-sustenance policy.

The programme which he explained that it’s expected to begin in September, would be jointly executed by the state and Federal Governments.

Dan-Malam added that youths between the ages of 18 and 35, would be beneficiaries of the programme.

“The 10,000 youth will be supported to cultivate one hectare of rice under the scheme,’’ he said.

According to him, the Jigawa government has already set up Project Monitoring Team (PMT) at both the state and local government levels to facilitate the execution of the programme.

“The team consists of council chairmen, heads of agricultural departments, personnel of the state agricultural and development agency, district heads, party and AFAN chairmen as well as youth leaders,’’ he said.

Dan-Malam further told NAN that the team had already identified sites where the rice would be grown in the 17 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state.

He listed the LGAs as Auyo, Babura, Dutse; Guri, Gwaram, Gwiwa, Jahun, kirikasamma, Kiyawa, and Kaugama.

Others include Kazaure, Miga, Malammadori, Ringim, KafinHausa, Roni and Yankwashi.

He said that part of the responsibility of the team was to select the beneficiaries of the programme in the 17 LGAs.

Dan-Malam, therefore, urged members of the team to be fair and just in the selection process.