The Federal Government has restated its commitment to lifting Nigerians out of poverty through its sustainable agricultural development programmes.
Director General of the National Directorate of Employment (NDE), Mallam Abubakar Nuhu- Fikpo stated this while inaugurating the Directorate’s 2021 Post Sustainable Agricultural Development Training Scheme (Post- SADTS) in Owerri on Monday.
Nuhu-Fikpo, who was represented by the NDE coordinator in IMO, Mrs Ngozi Ihenacho said that the scheme would enhance beneficiaries’ capacity with knowledge of modern agricultural policies.
He added that the trainees would be empowered to establish, grow and expand agricultural enterprises of their choice on a sustainable basis and provide linkages to sources of funding for their respective enterprises.
This, he said, was aimed at providing more food, creating employment, reducing poverty and enhancing quality of life for farmers and the society in general.
“The 50 Participants in this one week training have been drawn from among graduates of SADTS and the Directorate’s department of Rural Employment Promotion (REP) who desire to expand their agro enterprises.
“They will be trained on agricultural intervention policies, livestock production, digital marketing of agricultural products as well as fish processing, packaging and marketing,” he said.
In an address, Mr Michael Mbata, Director of the REP department, urged participants to pay attention to the lectures so as to derive optimal benefits.
Mbata, who was represented by Miss Harris Okolie, a staff of the department called on youths to embrace agriculture as a means of eradicating poverty in the country.
Also, the head, REP department in Imo, Mr Chisara Egwim said that the NDE was growing the next generation of agro experts and urged the participants to take the training seriously.
One of the trainees, Mr Bernard Iwuagwu from Aboh Mbaise Local Government Area thanked the NDE for the initiative and promised to put the acquired skills to their best use. (NAN)
