The Delta government has received 20,000 seed nuts and 8,000 seedlings of coconut from the Nigerian Institute for Oil Palm Research (NIFOR), Benin.
The delivery is intended to boost its Coconut Development Programme (DESCODEP) initiative.
The Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa, Mr Aneke Ifemeni, received the consignment on Saturday at Onicha-Ukwuani in Ndokwa West Local Governnent Area of the state.
Ifemeni noted that the seed nuts would be used to develop nurseries, while the seedlings were going to be used for immediate planting.
He said that with the delivery and other efforts already put in DESCODEP was good to go with its mandate of popularising coconut planting and development in the state.
He urged interested individuals and communities to embrace the programme as conceived by the state governor for a guaranteed economic growth in the future.
The SSA, who is also the Programme Coordinator, called on the youth to look beyond non existing white collar jobs and key into the coconut development programme.
He gave the assurance that in future they would start reaping the benefits of the venture.
He commended the Delta governor for creating the enabling environment for the programme to take off, saying that it would create employment for youths in partnering communities.
He disclosed that Onicha-Ukwuani would serve as DESCODEP’S take-off point because the community had the facilities to nurture the programme.
He also thanked other communities that had made land available to the state government for the project.
Also, the Programme Manager of DESCODEP, Mr Eugene Nwaedozie, called on those still skeptical about the programme to put away their doubts and embrace the project as coconut farming had come to stay in Delta.
The Onicha-Ukwuani Farm Manager, Mr Ashikordi Chinedu, said before now people were ignorant of the many benefits of coconut, but the story had changed as the usefulness of coconut was now known to all.
An employee of the farm, Mr Destiny Oyem, said that he never dreamt of being paid for working in a coconut farm.
Oyem expressed gratitude to Okowa and the management of DESCODEP for letting the people of the state know the economic benefits of coconut. (NAN)
