The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development says it will start a 24-hour Agricultural Television Reality show called “Naija Farmer”.
Ezeaja Ikemefuna, the Chief Information Officer, FMARD disclosed this in a statement on Monday in Abuja.
Ikemefuna said the reality show was a youth empowerment project aimed principally at transforming unemployed Nigerian youths to employers of labour.
He said the show was being organised in collaboration with the Nigeria Television Authority’s Startimes, Theatre Workers Union of Nigeria (RATTAWU) and other stakeholders.
“The project is to empower Nigerian youths. It will create over one million agribusiness owners within 10 years and by extension lift over 20 million youths out of poverty in the next decade.
“This is pursuant to President Muhammadu Buhari’s pledge to lift Nigerians out of poverty in 10 years.
“All participants will receive seed capital from Bank of Agriculture (BoA) and other financial institutions to establish smallholder agribusinesses after the extensive training on television.
“Beneficiaries will also become celebrities and super models for upcoming farmers and Nigerian youths,” he said.
Ikemefuna said that the maiden edition of the Naija Farmer reality show would include 21 housemates selected from the six geopolitical zones at a location tagged: the `Naija Farmer House’ in Abuja.
“The 24-hour Reality Show is already being test-run on Channel 140 of Startimes bouquet and it will start on November 29.
“The channel will additionally showcase a 24-hour reality entertainment and progress made in the nation’s agriculture sector,” he said.
