The Defunct Rivers State ‘School to Land’ Scheme: A Dream Deferred. Can the Objectives of the Songhai Farming Scheme in Rivers State be Achieved?

Abstract

Ensuring food security and self-reliance through farming made many countries to embark on farming schemes such as the Gezira in Sudan, Alto Beni in Bolivia, Nyakashaka of Uganda, farming settlements of Eastern and Western Nigeria and the ―School to Land‖ scheme. The initial euphoria that welcomed these schemes was later dampened because they didn‘t fulfil their objectives. Presently the Songhai Farms, Benin Republic is a success story and the Rivers State government sent some youths to learn the art of farming there. Will the objectives of the Songhai Farms succeed in Rivers State? This is the bottomline of this paper.