General Overseer of Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries worldwide, Dr Daniel Kolawole Olukoya has trained and empowered Bayelsa youths in agriculture to ensure food security and create jobs in the country.
The training is part of the 70 Points Youth Repositioning Agenda of Dr. Olukoya, aimed at gainfully engaging the youths and taking them off the street, utilising available lands of the church for sustainable agricultural training, helping members develop income through agriculture and contributing to food security.
The training, which started with farming demonstrations includes agronomical and smart climate agricultural practices. Then, followed by a seminar on agro-business and agro-value chain opportunities.
According to the Mega Regional Overseer, MFM Bayelsa Mega Axis, Pastor Emmanuel Akinola, who spoke on behalf of Dr. Olukoya, the free training in agriculture was part of the General Overseer’s initiatives to reposition the youth and completely deliver them from the globally-prevalent vices, train them to be self sustained and subsequently be employers of labour.
Akinola stressed that Bayelsa State is a blessed land, where farm produce yields abundantly due to texture of the soil, hence, the choice of engaging youths in agriculture. He said the trailblazing initiative would enhance the state’s food security.
He added that the church also recognised that agriculture remained the primary livelihood for over 70 percent of Nigeria’s population (National Bureau of Statistics, 2024), hence, the implementation of the impactful programmes that align with national priorities.
On the training, Mr. Great Sunday, a successful farmer and the trainer said youths were trained on entrepreneurship, agribusiness fundamentals and the full agricultural value chain opportunities. He adequately trained participants on vegetable farming, and also conducted a startup cucumber farm business analysis covering land clearing to post‑harvest sales.