NGO holds agri-business seminar to empower youths

LAGOS – The Youth in Agri-Business Development and Innovation (YARBI) on Monday said its [pro_ad_display_adzone id=”8″]upcoming one-day seminar in Abeokuta on Jan. 31 was basically to train youths in agricultural business.
Mr Sola Adeniyi, National Coordinator, YARBI, a Non-Governmental Oranisation, told the News Agency[pro_ad_display_adzone id=”10″] of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that intending participants could register on-line or at the venue of the seminar.
The coordinator said that the main focus of YARBI, an agri-business initiative, was to reduce [pro_ad_display_adzone id=”10″]unemployment through encouraging youths to embrace agriculture.
He said that the seminar was to empower young entrepreneurs with interest in the agriculture sector of [pro_ad_display_adzone id=”10″]the economy.
According to him, the one-day exercise will focus on fast growing crops and modern agricultural techniques.
“What we are trying to do is to empower youths because of the present economic challenges. We believe that agriculture is the solution.
“We also want to use this exercise to support government’s ongoing efforts at reviving the agricultural sub-sector and boosting food production.
“So, our approach is to impart at least 100 youths with these skills,’’ Adeniyi said.
The coordinator said participants would be taught how to grow and maintain crops like watermelon, cucumber, plantain and tomatoes.
“Most people don’t know that most of the agricultural produce we bring from the north can actually grow exceedingly well in the south.
“For instance, in the modern technology we had adopted, it takes one month to harvest cucumber; tomatoes and watermelon less than three months while plantain takes up to nine months.
“Some of us have been doing these things and we are doing well, that is why we want to empower other people,’’ he said.
Adeniyi added that participants would also be exposed to farming principles, like land clearing and preparation, application of fertiliser and organic manure and weed control.
He added that participants would be given hybrid seedlings, adding that plans were underway to replicate the training in other parts of the country. (NAN)