No fewer than 43 youths have been trained in agricultural export produce under the Federal Government Vocational Training and Strategic Empowerment Scheme.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the vocational training was organised by the National Centre for Agricultural Mechanisation (NCAM), under the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
The training was sponsored by Hon. Peter Akpatason (APC-Edo), Akoko-Edo Federal Constituency.
Speaking on Friday at the opening ceremony in Igarra, Akoko Edo Local Government Area of Edo, the Director of Training NCAM, Mr Mohammed Sanni, said that the programme was aimed at promoting agriculture and self-sufficiency among the youth.
Sanni said that the youth would undergo a three-day training in export produce, saying that the beneficiaries would be empowered to start their agric export business.
“This training will expose the youth to those agricultural produce that can be exported.
“It is a way of making these youths self-reliant and economically independent,” Sanni said.
Addressing the beneficiaries, Akpatason said the initiative was aimed at empowering the youth economically to curb social vices within his constituency.
He said that the programme was in line with the vision of the Federal Government on food security and job creation.
Akpatason said that each of the beneficiaries would be given a start-up cash ranging from N200,000 to N300,000.
He called on the beneficiaries to make judicious use of the funds.
“The empowerment programme is in line with the objective of grooming the youth to become job-creators, rather than job-seekers.
“It is hoped that this will encourage the youth in my constituency to take up other agricultural activities to empower themselves,’’ he said. (NAN)
