The rehabilitation of a five-hectare greenhouse and laboratory at the College of Agriculture in Bauchi is providing new opportunities for climate-smart agricultural training, research and skills development.
Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, inspected the facilities during a tour of interventions executed under the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) project with support from the World Bank.
The greenhouse, which had remained dilapidated for several years, has now been restored and is being used to train youths and women in modern agricultural practices.
Students and researchers from Bauchi and other states are also benefiting from the facility through practical training and research activities.
At the laboratory, the governor was briefed on its role in agricultural research and the promotion of climate-smart practices.
Governor Mohammed commended ACReSAL, the World Bank and other partners for supporting the rehabilitation of facilities that can contribute to agricultural development and youth empowerment.
He stressed that the facilities must not only be completed but properly managed and sustained to guarantee long-term benefits for the people.
The governor subsequently inspected the ongoing flood and erosion-control project being implemented under ACReSAL, where he expressed concern over the 7.2 per cent completion rate.
He directed the contractor to increase manpower and equipment, noting that the state had already released 40 per cent of the contract sum.
