By Yunusa Isa, Gombe

In an effort to fight hunger, unemployment and ensure food security in the North, the Arewa Development Support Initiative (ADSI) has trained 100 women and youths on sack potato farming in Gombe and Kwadon.

Speaking during the training, the ADSI State Coordinator Hannatu Ahmed Yaro, said the initiative was born out of concerns by the pro arewa group to address youths restivness, poverty and ensure food security in the 19 northern states for a prosperous North and Nigeria.

“We are going to train them on how to plant Irish potatoes in their backyards, homes and surroundings using empty bags of cement. We have provided them with the empty bags and the seeds. On their part, they are going to put sand, mixed with manure into the bags up to 75% full, then plant only one seed that started germinating per bag”.

The coordinator added that the new potato farmers will be watering the new plant every two days with an average 75 centi liter per bag.

Hannatu explained that the potatoes will be due for harvesting after three months, maintaining that the new farming technique can go a long way in reducing hunger and poverty among households in the state.

While encouraging the beneficiaries to extend the knowledge to fellow women and youths for multiply effects, the state coordinator said a supervisory team is put in place to monitor how the farmers are doing in the new farming business.

Questions were raised by the beneficiaries and squarely addressed by the coordinator and other ADSI officials.

Some of the beneficiaries Saratu Ishaya, Hauwa Abubakar (Malama Yalwa), Iliya Bitrus and Khalid Ibrahim appreciated ADSI for the initiative, maintaining that the development will get them self employed, improve their economy and standard of living.

They assured the group of their commitments to put the knowledge into practice.

“We have been sitting idle for long, and we always buy these potatoes and other food items from other states. See how harsh our economy is, everything has changed, prices of food stuff have gone far with no money to buy everything. This farming initiative by ADSI can really help us out of this hard economy. We are going to practice it and train our friends and relatives as well”.

Each of the 100 beneficiaries was given 50 empty bags of cement and seedlings for a start-up.

ADSI is an initiative of like-minded friends who have the North at heart, who care for its development and progress.

Being a self-oriented initiative, every member of ADSI contributes a minimum of ₦2,000 monthly, which when accrued over time, is utilized on projects that will bring about development for the north and its citizens.

The group has trained hundreds of northern youths and women on various vocations on different skills and businesses, a development that got many people employed.