By Yunusa Ishola
Jimba-Oja – The Federal Government through the Agricultural and Rural Management Training Institute (ARMTI) has trained 40 people under its Agripreneurship Development Training for New Generation of Youths and Women initiative.
The one-week training programme sponsored by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development was a collaborative effort between ARMTI and McGeorge Consultants Ltd., Ilorin.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the programme attracted youths and women participants from Rivers West Senatorial District.
Dr Olusola Ogunjirin, MicGeorge Lead Consultant, said on Thursday on the the sidelines of the closing ceremony that the training was geared toward empowering the participants in various agricultural businesses.
“The programme was borne out of dire need of government’s desire to equip youths and women of Rivers West Senatorial District in Rivers State with relevant skills in Agripreneurship and Business Development.
“Such intervention became imperative in order to drive and transform agriculture to an attainable level of excellence and sustainability in Nigeria.
“It was basically tailored toward producing new generations of entrepreneurs among the nation’s teeming youths and women population using agriculture as a veritable yard-stick.
“Such agricultural businesses include, but not limited to, crop production, fishery, poultry and business components,” he said.
He listed the training courses to include marketing intelligence in Agribusiness; Developing Agribusiness Plan as Agripreneurs as well as Government Policy and Intervention Funds.
Others are Farm Management and Record Keeping, Integrated Farming Techniques for improved livelihood as well as Fish Farming for Improved Livelihood.
Earlier, Dr Olufemi Oladunni, Executive Director, ARMTI, said the programme was designed to enhance participants’ competence in agricultural production.
According to him, the training will offer useful knowledge and encourage agricultural investment to boost the nation’s economy.
The ARMTI boss further admonished participants to actively participate in all activities as directed and tutored by the facilitators as these would engender self-sufficiency and independence.
Mr Ofor Okoroba, a participant, acknowledged the tremendous impact of the training and commended the organisers while soliciting for more of such initiatives.
NAN reports that 40 youths from Oke-Ero Local Government Area of Kwara had three weeks ago benefitted from a similar training programme under the Cassava Value Chain Development.