The Bauchi State Government has inaugurated a seven-member committee to screen beneficiaries and supervise the distribution of starter packs and grants to 1,250 trained youths and women under the Innovative and Integrated Agricultural Value Chain and Agribusiness Programme.
The Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr. Ilyasu Aliyu Gital, said the initiative reflects Governor Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed’s commitment to sustainable youth and women empowerment through agriculture.
He explained that the programme builds on the success of an earlier intervention in which 1,000 youths and women received training and starter packs, enabling many of them to establish agribusinesses and become employers of labour.
Gital said the current phase covers 1,250 beneficiaries who underwent training in 2025 at the International Skill Acquisition Centre (ISAC), CSS Farms, along the Keffi-Abuja Expressway in Nasarawa State.
He said, “The programme is designed to consolidate the gains recorded in the first phase and expand agribusiness opportunities across the 20 local government areas of Bauchi State.”
According to the Commissioner, the starter packs and grants will enable beneficiaries to apply the skills acquired during training, establish viable businesses, become self-reliant, and create employment opportunities within their communities.
He added that Governor Bala had approved an enhanced support package in line with prevailing economic realities to ensure beneficiaries derive maximum benefit from the programme while advancing the administration’s goals of inclusive growth, poverty reduction, and food security.
He described the intervention as a strategic investment in human capital and rural development, aimed at producing a new generation of modern farmers, processors, and agripreneurs capable of driving value addition and innovation in the state’s agricultural value chain.
Gital said the committee was constituted to ensure transparency, accountability, and credibility in the disbursement process. He added that payments would be made at the local government level, with beneficiaries receiving their cheques in person.
The committee is expected to verify the 1,250 trainees, organize the beneficiaries according to their respective local government areas, oversee the disbursement exercise across the state, and submit a comprehensive report within two weeks.
It is also mandated to ensure that all beneficiaries appear in person to receive their cheques and may co-opt additional persons where necessary to facilitate its assignment.
The Commissioner urged members to discharge their responsibilities with diligence, fairness, and professionalism.
“Let transparency be your guiding principle, let prudence govern your decisions, and let the spirit of service to the state guide your actions throughout the exercise,” he said.
He assured the committee of the ministry’s support through logistics, data, and monitoring mechanisms, while urging members to work closely with local government authorities, security agencies, and community leaders to ensure a smooth and credible exercise.
Although the Commissioner did not disclose the total cost of the programme, he said each beneficiary would receive a grant worth hundreds of thousands of naira to enable them to establish sustainable businesses and become self-reliant.
Gital further stated that the financial support approved under the current scheme is significantly higher than what was provided in previous interventions. He added that Governor Bala Mohammed will personally announce the exact amount soon.
Responding on behalf of the committee, Chairman Ibrahim Yusha’u Isah thanked Governor Bala Mohammed for the confidence reposed in them and pledged to carry out the assignment with integrity, transparency, and professionalism.
“We shall properly verify every beneficiary before payment and strictly comply with our terms of reference. We will also document our processes and submit a comprehensive report at the end of the exercise, while working closely with all stakeholders to ensure a smooth, orderly, and credible disbursement across the 20 local government areas,” he said.
The committee is chaired by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Ibrahim Yusha’u Isah. Other members are Babaji Maijama’a, Director of Agricultural Services; Ibrahim Ishaku, Director of Planning, Research and Statistics; representatives of the Accountant-General and Auditor-General of Bauchi State; Yusuf Madiya, Training Officer; and Shehu Yakubu Usman, Director of Administration and Human Resources, who will serve as Secretary.
