The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), has revealed its plan to include farming and crop production as part of the one-year primary assignment for corps members starting from next year.
Mr. Bello Ballama, NYSC FCT Coordinator, revealed this while speaking with journalists in Abuja on Thursday.
He said engagement of corps members in farming and crop production would help address the problem of rejection by employers and in line with the NYSC Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) program.
The FCT coordinator said that the scheme was, therefore, putting all its farms in good condition in readiness for corps members to commence its use.
He said: “Corps members will be involved in all aspects of farming and crop production.
“This will not only support skills acquisition of NYSC, but also governments plan of boosting agricultural production to improve self-reliance and achieve national growth and development.
“From this 2018 Batch ‘A’ Stream I set of corps members who are commencing orientation on April 19, we are going to look into all the farm formations and centers to be able to post corps members there.
“We have farms in the FCT and many other states of the country; the present leadership of the scheme is poised to ensuring the revival of all NYSC facilities including the farms.
“The NYSC is faced with the challenge of engaging the increasing number of corps members mobilized every year.
“We, therefore, have to take proactive steps towards achieving our mandate and supporting the federal government’s plans for youth development.”
He said that in spite of discussion the scheme had with employers not to reject corps members, the NYSC was still faced with the problem every year.
He added that some employers do not provide accommodation and transportation to corps members who are left to suffer harsh living conditions.
“We have held a workshop with corps employers and have interacted with them and we look forward to a better relationship and working environment for corps members in the next year, “he said.
Some of the farms owned and run by the scheme are located in Benue, Plateau, FCT among other states.